


Bits, Bites, and Pieces

by Churbooseanon



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2015-06-23
Packaged: 2018-02-25 19:55:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 291
Words: 37,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2634275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Churbooseanon/pseuds/Churbooseanon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of any and every other thing that I have nowhere else to put. Everything ranging from shipping to amusing asides. From crack pairings to old staples. Anything goes and little to nothing is connected or makes sense.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Extra Practice - North/Wash/Tucker

**Author's Note:**

> North/Wash/Tucker High School AU requested by xkaikainaxgrif of Tumblr.

No one questioned it, no one had thought to. North and Wash always stayed late to practice a bit more. They always stayed late to practice free throws or dribbling or coverage or something else. It had always been a thing, since Tucker had joined the team. He’d gotten used to them being together, the junior who was the star of their team and the recently graduated assistant coach who had stuck around the school to—as some people said—continue to living in his glory days as a basketball star.

There was more to it than that, but Tucker only knew that because he forgot his book bag. Had to go back to school halfway home because he knew his mother was going to shout his ears off if he didn’t do his school work.

The gym is still unlocked when he makes it back, meaning North still had to be there. Yet when Tucker ducked in he found the basketball court abandoned. Everything had already been tidied up, a clear indication that Wash and North were done for the evening. Still, that probably meant North would be locking up and leaving soon, so Tucker didn’t have much time. He rushed into the locker room, intent on the book bag in his locker, and froze at what he hear.

Showers, yeah, he knew that sound. Knew that sound just as well as he knew the low, hungry moans mingled with the sound of water on skin.

“You like that?” North’s voice rasped through sound of the water and Tucker had never heard his voice so low, so hungry.

Oh god, no, this wasn’t possible, Tucker decided. He couldn’t have happened upon this. It wasn’t possible. He’d clearly tripped and hit his head during practice and this was all just some hallucination.

“Please,” Wash whimpered and gasped.

Oh fuck, nope, this couldn’t be a hallucination. He never dared to imagine Wash’s voice quite so shaky before.

“You love it when I do this, don’t you?”

“Yes. So much. Oh god.”

Slowly Tucker moved from his frozen place by the door, peeked around the corner, and hated just how the steam from the showers ruined any view he might have. Except he couldn’t wait, couldn’t hang back. Wash’s voice was beautiful, weak, shivering in a way that Tucker wished he could have made it sound.

Don’t do it, his head told him as Tucker let his feet carry him further into the locker room. Made it all the way to the first row of lockers, and there was nothing. Snuck to the second row as Wash’s breathing hitched and finally Tucker could hear skin on skin and he gasped as well at the thought of it. North’s quieter groans were starting to come through as well, and damn they were going to his groin just as much as Wash’s voice.

Another row of lockers and still too much steam, and with a deep breath Tucker steeled himself for the next step. Forward, one foot after another, one hand not quite between his legs to rub at himself through his gym shorts.

That was a mistake. He couldn’t hold the moan back. Bit his lip and cursed as he heard everything stop.

“Fuck, did you…” Wash asked, his voice filled with panic.

“Shhhh.”

Wet feet slapped against the shower floor and Tucker knew he had to move. Had to run before they caught him. Book bag be damned, mother’s wrath be tested, he didn’t care. Except his feet refused to move, he felt anchored to the spot. So he found himself waiting there, eyes wide, as North’s head peered out around the entrance to the showers. Their gazes met and they were quiet for a long moment, but Tucker wasn’t sure what to think of the appraising look in North’s eyes.

“North…?” Wash asked, his voice a mix of want and fear and Tucker trembled at the sound of it.

North saw it, had to have, because the smile on his lips was something else altogether.

“It’s only Tucker.”

“Tucker?!” Wash’s voice yelped.

“You’re not going to mention you saw this, are you?” North asked, his voice still low and thick and Tucker just shook his head, eyes still wide.

“You’d rather join us than talk, wouldn’t you?”

There must have been something in his expression, because North chuckled, his voice low and throaty and damn it was hot. Tucker swallowed hard and he must have nodded because the smile on North’s face only grew.

“I know Wash would like that. Hurry up. When he gets like this, he isn’t very patient. Wash, good news. I was just suggesting you needed to practice your teamwork skills. And now I have a volunteer to help.”

The low, loud moan from Wash as North disappeared back into the shower got Tucker out of his clothes faster than the invitation alone could have.

If this went right, he was going to have to come up with a good excuse to give his mother for staying late after practice.


	2. Sharing Secrets - Wash/North, Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Washington and North thinking about York as requested by thetadorable of tumblr.

"Can I tell you a secret?”

Wash looks up from the book he’s reading, meets North’s eyes across the bed, and frowns at the way his lover’s expression is… well, pursed is probably the best way to describe it. It’s not at all the normal order of things for North, even when he’s worried over something. No, North’s better at hiding what he’s feeling than anyone gives him credit for, which is pretty impressive because his face is so expressive.

“Of course you can,” Wash answers, not bothering to sit up or even put his book aside. North does better when they keep things like this casual.

There’s the little aborted lip bite that Wash always finds so endearing, and he can’t resist the tiniest of smiles at it. Except he can because North looks very upset very suddenly.

“I think… I think I may have feelings for York. I’m…”

Okay, now that’s a reason to move. Wash carefully sets his book aside, crawls up the bed to his lover, and carefully tangles his fingers in North’s hair.

“You wouldn’t be the only one,” Wash whispers before pulling North down into a kiss. It’s short, it’s sweet, it’s the kind that lingers on the lips and leaves the body yearning when they pull apart. Wash loves that about North’s kisses. “So what are we going to do about that when he gets back from AoMS?”

North’s eyes are wide, shocked, maybe even relieved. Wash just smiles up at him, a quiet promise that it really is okay.


	3. Teaching Grif - Grif/SImmons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grif schemes as Simmons teaches him to use the rocket launcher. Requested by alittleshadow of tumblr.

“You want me to do what?!” Simmons demands, his voice reaching that perfect high pitched squawk that Grif loves to push it to in any situation he can get away with.

“If you’re going to fucking complain about how I handle it, then show me how it’s supposed to be done,” he answers immediately, loving the tension that Simmons is almost humming with.

“You… This… Fucking hell, Grif,” Simmons grumbles and then he’s right there with Grif, kicking his legs apart a little bit to give him a better stance. Cool, he feels more grounded already. Then there are hands on his hips, twisting them just so, then on his shoulders, twisting them in counterpoint to his hips. Then traveling his arms, adjusting where they bend and how tightly his fingers hold on.

“There. Like that,” Simmons squeaks, quickly backing away. “Try it now.”

Grif smirks to himself before squeezing the trigger on the rocket launcher and watched the target explode. He immediately slips out of the careful position Simmons put him in and turns to smile at the other red.

And only grins all the harder when Simmons curses at him and complains that since he got out of position Simmons is going to have to fucking show him how again.

Which was entirely the point of this whole exercise.


	4. Flirtations - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose hits on Church, and Church doesn't know what to do with that. As requested by sairenharia of tumblr.

“Are… you flirting with me?”

Caboose tilted his head and seemed to think about it for a moment, and Church wanted to rip out his hair because how the fuck did a question like that even need to be thought about?

“What is flirting again, Church?”

Fuck. No, he hadn’t wanted this to devolve into lesson time again.

“Flirting is when… Well… _Fuck_ Caboose, why don’t you just ask Tucker? He knows all about what flirting is, even if he sucks at it.”

“But I’m asking you, Church.”

All Church could do to was sigh and shake his head and be certain that this conversation was not going to go well, or at all in the direction it was supposed to go because that was always what happened with Caboose.

“Flirting is when, well, you do things or say things to try and get someone to notice you in a romantic sense. Like, you want them to like you. The kind of liking that involves hand holding and kissing and all that.”

“Oh. Well then yes, Church, I was flirting with you. Because I would really like it if we did the hand holding and kissing and all of that.”

All Church could do was gape.


	5. Looking Good - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Really? Why the hell not.

"That’s a good look on you.”

As much as Wash wants to glare up at North, all he can do is tilt his head back and moan, because really, it’s not fair to try and have a conversation while York’s mouth is busy on his cock.


	6. Gun Oil - Tucker/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash just wants to clean his weapons. And instead he finds this.

"Hey, have you seen the…"

Washington freezes, regrets his timing, because there is nothing more embarrassing—more problematic for him—than walking into Tucker’s room at the precise wrong moment. Which this is. Really, Tucker should have learned to lock his door or at least put a sock over the handle or something, because Wash wasn’t exactly looking to walk into the room and see Tucker stretched out on his bed, naked, fingers wrapped around his glistening erection.

"Oh," he says in shock as two and two fit together and add up to four because the back corner of his mind whispers that they likely don’t have any lube and yet Tucker’s clearly got something because his other fingers are working decidedly lower and the room smells overwhelmingly of gun oil.

"Shit, Wash, ever heard of knocking?" Tucker demands, his voice flipping back and forth between a high pitched annoyed tone and a low, lust filled one that runs hot down Wash’s spine like fingers of those beautiful hands.

"That… isn’t good for you," Wash observes, knowing his cheeks had to be burning and thankful he still had his helmet on.

"Yeah well it’s all I’ve got so either suggest something better or go the fuck away."

Wash opts for the latter. Tucker moans when he returns a few minutes later with something better and locks the door behind him.


	7. Stick With Us - North/Wash/Tucker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath, Tucker thinks this new arrangement could work out. Highs Shool Nortuckington AU continued. As requested by sairenharia of tumblr.

"If there’s one thing the world needs more of, it’s shower sex."

Wash groans and rolls his eyes as he runs a towel through his hair a bit rougher than is really necessary.

"Stick with us, Tucker, and you’ll see a lot more of it," North chuckles low in the back of his throat the way he kept doing the whole time Tucker had spent slowly exploring their bodies under the hot spray of the showers.

"You’re both just terrible," Wash hisses and Tucker loves the way the junior’s freckles are picked out by the blush on his cheeks, on his ears, on his neck. Next time he’s going to kiss them all.

"You were the one telling me just last week you wanted to let other people know about us," North laughs and Tucker lets his eyes rove over the taut muscles of his stomach as it rolls with the laughter. Damn that was hot.

"Yeah, I didn’t exactly mean like this," comes Wash’s mumble, and when Tucker meets his gaze that blush is back in full force. "Not that it wasn’t nice."

"So again?" Tucker asks, grinning.

"After practice tomorrow," Wash’s voice is a whisper that is so full of promise that Tucker just wants to jump up and do a victory dance.


	8. Way Of Saying It - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine hits on Wash, and Wash isn't quite sure what is going on. As is requested by bynarymind of tumblr.

“Are you… flirting with me?”

Maine doesn’t respond. At least not verbally. He makes a hand gesture, the curve of a smile made by the arc from his pinky to his thumb held up near his helmet. It’s all Wash can do to boggle at the gesture, even though his hand mimics the gesture without a thought because he’d just gotten used to smiling at Maine like that.

His attention is held by the fingers of Maine’s other hand, which are brushing over the less armored parts of his leg under the table. No. This wasn’t happening. Wash cannot believe this is happening. Cannot believe the message that had flashed across his helmet with a winky face after Wash had made a double entendre—Wash wanted to hit Connie for teaching Maine emoticons—or the face that was clearly supposed to have suggestive eyebrow wiggling.

“I… You… Wait… Huh?”

Great job mouth, really stellar performance with the forming of words there brain. Great teamwork. Gold start.

Fuck his life.

_shud i not :-?_

The message flashes in the bottom corner of Wash’s HUD, but his eyes linger on it for a long time.

“I…”

Sigh, switch to text because it’s easier. Always has been.

_I’m just shocked._

_bad way ?_?_

_No. Good way. Very good way._

Maine gives him the smile gesture again, and Wash returns it with more force as the fingers of their other hands under the table tangle together.


	9. Leg Day Of Course - Wash/Tucker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tucker asks for leg days to be more fun, and Wash obliges.

“Last time I ask you for a favor,” Tucker groans, and Wash smiles down at him, loving the tension in his face, loving the sweat on his brow, loving that he puts it all there without too much effort.

“You said you wanted leg days to be more fun,” Wash points out, unable to hold back the predatory grin on his own lips. He also loves the way that Tucker moans at the expression just before he rolls his hips forward to get more of that sweet friction between their bodies.

“This wasn’t what I meant.”

“Do you really want to complain? I can stop.”

“My legs are practically wrapped around my neck, Wash. I can’t even begin to imagine why I’d want to complain about that. How does that even begin to have to do with leg strength?” Tucker gasps as Wash’s fingers find a sensitive nipple and gently tease it.

“Leg day isn’t just about strength, Tucker. It’s also about flexibility. And I must say, you’re coming along very well.”

“Bow chicka oh god!”

He loves how much easier it is to shut Tucker up more than anything else.


	10. Not What I Expected - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North bites off more than he can chew, and his lovers are enjoying every moment.

"This isn’t exactly what I had in mind…" North admitted as he tried to move his arms and found that Wash had secured them more than satisfactorily to the bed frame.

"Strange, Wash and I agreed to it almost instantly," York observed, chuckle in his voice as North watched the other man start to undo his pants. "What did you expect?"

"I think he thought I was going to hold him down like he does for me," Wash explained, and North could see the mischief in his eyes as he pulled the zipper down for York.

"But if we did that, how could we do this?" York purred low in the back of his throat.

North’s hips bucked up as York teased his erection free of pants and boxers and licked slowly up from tip to base. The moan that escaped from his lips as he felt Wash’s mouth close over the crown of his erection. Just as suddenly as it was there it was gone.

"It’d be a shame if we couldn’t, but if he really wants us to stop…" Wash teased and North just thrust his hips up and groaned.

This was going to be wonderful and terrible all at once. Wash and York were both incurable teases.


	11. Dazed and Confused - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some kisses leave you senseless. This was one of those. As requested by alerraia of tumblr.

“I’m lost,” Wash admits, for all that it makes no sense and he hates to say it because he’s blushing worse than the kiss had managed to get out of him.

Maine gestures a smile at him, habit rather than real need because their helmets aren’t on and Maine is grinning wide with satisfaction.

“Don’t you smile at me like that,” Wash groans, slowly pushing off the wall and keeping his fingers away from his lips for all that he wants to touch them and see if they are as swollen from Maine’s kisses as he thinks they should be.

A low growl is the response he gets, lifting at the end in a question.

“I’m not kidding here. I… Can’t remember where we are on the ship.”

The grin only grows and Maine’s hands are pushing him against the wall again.

“You’re only going to make it worse,” Wash complains.

Another growl, this time amused and hungry.

“What do you mean that’s the point?”

He doesn’t get an answer because those lips are on his again and that is all he can focus on.


	12. Everything's Alright - North, Theta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything is going to be fine. What a lie.

"Everything’s going to be fine."

A five word promise and the hardest lie he’s ever told. He throws every bit of confidence and reliability and hope and strength at Theta until he feels it take hold. Somehow manages to hold back the fear and panic and realization that the energy levels of the shield are dropping.

"Everything’s going to be fine," he lies as the shield drops and shoots. Hits nothing.

"Everything’s going to be fine," he whimpers in pain as he lays on the ground, bleeding, while Maine stands over him, Theta’s chip in his hand.

"Everything’s…"

The bark of bullets and his final lie is silenced.


	13. Our Secret - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose has a secret he needs to share. Don't let Tucker know.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

Church sighs and looks up from his beer, turns his attention to the man sitting on the edge of the base with him, their legs dangling out into the open air.

"Sure," Church says at length.

A hand grabs him by his collar and Caboose’s lips are on his and they taste like alcohol and chocolate and Church closes his eyes and just lets himself take it because he knows nothing he does will break Caboose’s grip so what is the point in trying? Caboose lets him go in his own time and Church just glares at the other blue.

"That was a kiss."

"And now it’s our secret," Caboose announces proudly. "Don’t tell Tucker. I don’t want to share with him."

Neither did Church.


	14. Hold My Hand - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shame is a great motivating force that Caboose uses to his advantage.

"You want me to do what?" Church squawks and Caboose does his very very best not to frown because that would be bad.

"Hold my hand," Caboose insists, holding his hand out and waiting for Church to do something other than be mean about it all.

"There is absolutely no way I’m going to hold…”

"Are you ashamed of me?" Caboose asks, and the hurt that flashes over Church’s face makes him sad. "Tucker says that sometimes the ladies he is with won’t hold his hand in public because they are ashamed of him. But they don’t know him very well so I’m not sure if it’s the same. We know each other really well and we’re best friends and we kiss and hug and I think we should…"

Church’s fingers are suddenly interwoven with his and Church isn’t looking at him so much as looking away but Caboose is happy. Very happy. Because Tucker was right. All it took was suggesting that Church might be ashamed and that would make him sad and he could get Church to do it.

Caboose decides he’ll have to do it again in the future in places where people can see him because it’s nice to have that warm hand with his. It makes his whole chest feel fuzzy happy.


	15. Good Boy - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose knows just how to cheer Church up. As requested by sairenharia of tumblr.

"Stop trying to cheer me up!" Church roars, his whole body shaking with his anger.

"Not trying to cheer you up," Caboose insists, continuing in his slow motion toward getting Church pinned to the bed. It had started with him pressing right up against the other man. Moved to him putting his arm around Church’s shoulders. Continued until this moment where Caboose is slowly lowering Church to the mattress.

"What _are_ you doing then?” Church demands as Caboose’s hands close around his wrists and pin them above his head.

"Distracting you," Caboose chuckles, pressing his lips to Church’s neck. "Because that is what you need, and I’m always here to help."

Church groans and his hips buck up as Caboose shifts to straddle him.

"I want to be angry," Church insists, but there’s no fire in his voice. Just hunger.

"It’s not good for you. I want only good things for you," Caboose purrs before nibbling on his ear.

"Such a good boy," Church whispers, and Caboose just smiles.

He _was_ a good boy.


	16. Stay Now - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash doesn't want to be apart.

"Please, stay."

Maine halts, halfway out of the bed, when Wash’s hand moves to grab his wrist. There was desperation, brief and powerful, and nothing Wash could do would keep it out of his voice. For a moment Wash lets himself wonder whether it was his words or his touch that freezes Maine in place.

A low grunt is his response, not questioning so much as reassuring. No, it was questioning too. Wash was getting too good at reading the small noises that are Maine’s only means of communication. That doesn’t mean he’s flawless.

"I… Just don’t want you to go. Please…" He can’t keep the need out of his voice, as hard as he tries, just like the last time. But maybe Maine is better at reading him than he is at Maine because the larger man lays back down, stretches back out, and pulls Wash right against his own.

It was perfect. Wash had never had another lover willing to stay and hold him. So he melted into the sensation of skin against skin and closed his eyes, hoping the moment would last forever.


	17. J-Walking - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash is just unlucky with cars.

"Where the fuck did that clown come from?" Wash shouted, much to York’s amusement.

"He had the right of way, Wash," North pointed out, his voice infinitely kind and patient while York was trying so fucking hard not to laugh over the thing.

"No, _pedestrians in the crosswalk always have right of way!_ " Wash insisted, his face turning a perfect shade of crimson in his righteous indignation.

York could hold back no more and burst into riotous laughter.

"What the hell are you laughing at!?” Wash demanded, the fury only making his face redder.

"Cars… Cars really do… hate you," York gasped between his laughter. He was so consumed by his mirth he didn’t even see the punch that laid him flat coming.


	18. Cooking - Donut/Doc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donut likes Doc's apron.

"That’s a good look for you," Donut purred as he came up behind Doc and wrapped his arms around the smaller man’s waist.

"Do you mind? I’m trying to cook," Doc protested, wiggling in his grasp and clearly meaning to get Donut’s arms out from under his apron without putting down his wooden spoon.

"Mmmm, and I could just eat you up," Donut quipped as he placed a kiss on the back of Doc’s sun-kissed neck. "In fact, once you’re done with that…"

Doc sighed and shook his head, but didn’t stop stirring the pot of soup he was working on. “Sometimes, you’re worse than Grif in a pantry.”

"Yeah. But at least the thing I’m addicted to keeps us both amused."


	19. Magic Word - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Church asks Caboose for the magic word.

"You forgot the magic word," Church purrs against his neck and Caboose just groaned as his hips pressed forward, trying to get more of that wonderful sensation Church had just been lavishing upon him.

"Church…"

"That’s not what I’m looking for," Church chuckled as his lips advanced down Caboose’s chest.

"Please Church, please.”

"Nope."

Brief friction, just the barest of brushes against his erection, and Caboose heard his own voice keening at the touch.

"Still haven’t heard it."

"I need you.”

The touch was back like magic and Caboose lost himself in a wash of pleasure.

It only made sense, after all. Caboose was nothing without Church.


	20. True Calling - York/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AIs can pick up interesting talents that York can't complain about.

"I think you missed your calling," York panted, his whole body quivering from the release, from the sensory overload, from the way that Delta was still playing the nerves along his stomach to make it seem like there was a hand ghosting along, teasing his skin.

_I would be forced to disagree with your summation of my capabilities. I believe my calling was, and continues to be, taking your own skills beyond merely competent._

"Yeah, that’s great and all, D, but I just had what was probably the best orgasm of my life, without any actual physical contact, so…”

Phantom fingers danced along York’s inner thigh and he had to bite his lip to keep the moan back.

_I find that this is a very convenient manner by which to secure your silence._

"Fuck you, D. Fuck you."

_I do believe that was just what you were involved with, in a manner of speaking._

York groaned and threw an arm over his eyes, because something told him that Delta was never going to let him live this down.

_Shall I see if I can, how does the saying go, return the favor?_


	21. Three's a Crowd - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash and York pander to a captive audience.

“Wait right there, don’t move.”

“Very funny, York,” North sighed, and it turned into a groan as York’s lips started attacking that point just above his hips that had his body arcing off the bed in spite of—or maybe more so than normal because of—the padded leather cuffs keeping his hands bound above his head and the ones anchoring his feet to the far side of the bed.

“Your sense of humor does sort of suck,” North heard Wash comment before there were teeth on one of his nipples and fuck that was good too.

“You both suck,” North gasped and immediately regretted the decision.

The last thing he had meant to do when they had him trapped like this was to give them an idea.

“Should we?” Wash asked and North could see a mischievous glint in his lover’s eyes. A glint that didn’t hold a candle to the fire in York’s.

“No,” York answered, and North’s gaze flew to York.

“Really?” Wash asked, and the amusement in that voice told North they’d had this eventuality planned for, damn them.

“He’s not ready for that yet. I want him to beg for it,” York chuckled, his voice low and North closed his eyes to drink in the realization of what was to come.

It was going to be a long night.


	22. Smile - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash doesn't want cheered up. Maine does it anyway.

“Stop trying to cheer me up,” Wash snapped, unable to keep the sullen edge out of his voice.

_not trying_

“Then why are you trying to get that kitten to curl up on the top of your helmet?”

_fun :-D_

Wash sighed, wished he had his helmet off so he could rub his temples, contented himself with overriding the medical suite in his armor to give him an almost miniscule injection of painkillers. Then he glanced back over at Maine, and found the small gray and white tuxedo patterned kitten sitting proudly on the top of Maine’s helmet and reaching out with its tiny clawed paw to playfully bat at Maine’s fingers.

It was too much. Wash burst into laughter so loud that the kitten startled, reared onto it’s back paws to bat at the air, and tumbled backward off of Maine’s head. He was lunging forward immediately to catch the little thing in his hands, unable to keep himself from laughing the whole time.

When the chuckles finally died down and Wash was playing with the kitten in his lap he couldn’t help but bring up the textcomm.

Thanks.

_alwyz_


	23. Graduation - North, Theta, South

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North on his son's graduation day.

“Everything’s going to be fine.”

Theta—no, he likes to be called Theodore now—smiles up at his father as Nicolas straightens his tie for him. The man takes his time, tries to be careful and precise as he works.

The simple truth is that he’s trying not to cry. His little boy, all grown up and about to go out into the world, and no one prepared him for this moment.

“I think it’s straight, Dad,” his son says, shifting under his attention. Nic lets his hands fall away. No, not away, just moves them to Theodore’s shoulders.

“I’m proud of you, kid. More proud than you’ll ever know.”

“Yeah. Um… Listen, D is waiting for me and…”

“Go ahead,” Nic sighs, as he watches the boy run off to find his friend he manages not to flinch when his sister’s hand comes to rest on his shoulder.

“Everything’s going to be fine,” she says, her voice soft but weighty as her own hand comes to rest on his shoulder.

“Yeah,” he agrees, smiling through his tears. “Yeah, it is.”


	24. Who Needs Walking? - York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North begs for something he needs.

"I need this."

There is more want in those three words, more hunger, more potential power being passed on than York knows quite what to do with.

"You’re sure?" he asks, just to be certain, even though there is nothing short of need written on that face.

"I wouldn’t have suggested it if I wasn’t," North insists, and York takes a deep breath, lets his hands put all the force into gripping those shapely hips that he can, and releases the careful control he’d kept over himself before.

It’s not like North needs to walk tomorrow anyway.


	25. Naughty Thoughts - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose considers the evening's plans.

"Could you repeat that?"

Caboose doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t ask why, doesn’t even get mad. He just beams at Church and immediately starts in again.

Church goes back to imagining just how Caboose is going to react to those handcuffs he stole from Sister.


	26. Parent Teacher Conference - York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York wasn't prepared for Theta's dad to be hot.

Theta’s really a sweet, smart kid."

"I knew that already," North observed, smiling at his son’s teacher.

"And he’s a pleasure to have in class," York added because he’d had this whole series of comments prepared and they’d all flown out of his mind the second North had smiled.


	27. Bad Time For Kittens - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes Wash is a child.

"Pass the lube?"

"York, your hands are tied to the bed so it isn’t going to be useful," North chuckled.

"Wash won’t stop drawing kittens on my stomach with it!"


	28. First Kiss - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their first kiss is not what Delta's expecting.

He’s supposed to say something, supposed to do something, and all Delta can do is blush at the man standing in front of his door with him. Their fingers are still tangled together from their walk back here, and Delta tightens his grip when Maine tugs him forward. He prepares himself as he lets himself go, tilts his head up, closes his eyes, and doesn’t moan into the soft press of lips against his own.


	29. Karaoke - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are things they couldn't do after Maine lost his voice.

"Karaoke?"

Maine smiles and nods because he knows Wash loves it, he loves it too, and there is nothing quite like renting some little room where he can sing love songs to Wash in French and then spend the rest of their time entangled on the couch.

Neither of them know it’s the last chance they’ll get.


	30. Mute Button - North, South, Florida

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida's first mission with North and South.

"Well I must say, Agent North Dakota, I really do like the way you made that man’s head explode with your shot," that damn cheerful voice echoes out over the radio as North lines up another shot and it takes a /lot/ not to sigh.

"I don’t think he’s ever going to shut up," South observes on their closed radio frequency, something like amusement in her voice which makes sense because this man’s casual and bloodthirsty enjoyment of the more grisly part of their work is right up her alley.

"I guess you could say that," North sends back to them both, rolling his eyes and letting his sight play briefly across the too blue armor of this new Agent Florida because really all it would take would be a single shot to shut him up for good.


	31. Paranormal Encounter - York/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delta doesn't believe in ghosts. Which is a shame, because one believes in him.

"Ghosts don’t exist," Delta insists, his voice breathy and panting as his body shudders.

_You’re really going to say that while I’m doing this?_

Delta’s hips buck up into the non-existent touch as his eyes meet the misty, transparent ones of the ghost of the last man to have owned this house and as much as he wanted to point out how impossible this situation is the cold, tingling, impossible pressure as that non-existent mouth closes around him is just too good to drive off, figment of his own mind or not.


	32. Near Miss - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash question's Maine's behavior in the three-on-one fight, but he doesn't stop cuddling to do it.

"That was pretty foolish," Wash whispers, reveling in the feel of Maine’s bare arms around his equally bare chest.

A snarl, low and annoyed and arguing that he had orders and he was tired of losing and he had a right.

"I get all of that, Maine, but you could have killed York,” and the fear in his voice wasn’t just for York but for what that would have done to Maine.


	33. Pizza Delivery - York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York lives life in a bad eighties porno.

"Did somebody order a pizza?" York asks his voice low and sultry and his clothes are so ridiculously skimpy and North can almost hear the terrible music that would play in the background.

"No," he growls, slamming the door in York’s face.


	34. Finger Positions - Florida/Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marching bands can lead to such terrible pick up lines.

"You’ve got such talented fingers, Reggie."

Reggie stops limbering his fingers up, looks at Butch over his trumpet.

The way Butch is smiling, grinning, beaming makes it almost impossible for Reggie to figure out whether Butch is being friendly or friendly and he doesn’t know which he’d prefer.


	35. Frustration - Grif/Simmons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grif has the strangest way of getting what he wants out of Simmons.

"Would it KILL you to clean up once in a while?"

Grif listens to Simmons’s high pitched screech and just stayed there on the couch, grinning to himself as he imagined how agitated his nerdy roommate was. Because the red his face turned as he got frustrated enough to shout was close enough to a blush for Grif’s imagination.


	36. Faults of Memory - Epsilon, Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red Team isn't the only one wrong in the Epsilon unit, and Church didn't think he could miss the differences.

Caboose doesn’t follow him around like a lost puppy or call Epsilon his best friend or get excited to spend time together or anything like that. He’s just a calm, rational, competent soldier and it’s so wrong that it sends chills down Epsilon’s remembered spine and chills his remembered blood.

He hadn’t known how much he cared for his bumbling, idiotic teammate until he found the man’s very being gutted and this… thing left in its shell.


	37. Beauty on Campus - Wash/Tucker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They see each other around campus all the time.

He sees the guy around campus all the time.

In the student union, in the 11 am comparative lit class he TAs for, on the quad on sunny days with a kid that looks a lot like him, in the bleachers at every football game, and even once in the third floor bathroom of his dorm building.

And for all that he doesn’t know the name of the beautiful, perpetually smiling, dark skinned annoyance that he keeps running into, Wash can’t help but find him starring in his dreams.


	38. Smores - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash can't find the most important part of camping.

"Where he hell…" Wash found himself cursing as he dug furiously through the large food box he had packed and yet he couldn’t find them no matter how many times he went through. Surely he had remembered to pack…

He turned when he felt something soft bounce off of his head and Wash turned and glared at Maine, sitting in a camp stool by the fire, with the missing bag of marshmallows in his hands.


	39. Count Down - North/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North and Wash bring in the New Year with a bang.

Everyone else is counting down in the living room or in the dining room or in the kitchen or wherever else there is a clock and a loud chant going on, their voices filled with excitement for an arbitrary second on an arbitrary day making the starts of an arbitrary year.

North is in the dark in the closet in the master bedroom, pressed against a selection of light jackets and crisp button up shirts with lips on his neck and hands fumbling at his belt and his fingers buried in fragrant blond hair a few shades lighter than his own and his other hand fisted around an already weeping cock.

The timing couldn’t have been more perfect, the way Wash’s body went rigid, tensed, his breathing hitched and at ‘one’ Wash screams North’s name into a bite on his neck and comes in hot pulses all over North’s favorite pants and his fisted hand.


	40. Prison Changes A Man - Grif/Simmons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You change in prison.

"You wouldn’t believe how being on the inside changes you, Simmons."

"You’re a delivery truck driver," Simmons points out in annoyance like he always does.

"Wouldn’t _believe_.”


	41. Babysitting - Grif/Simmons, Tucker,

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grif and Simmons baby sit Junior. And they're terrible.

"What are you supposed to do when they scream like this?!"

"I don’t know did you try, ow the little shit kicked me!?"

Tucker just listened to Grif and Simmons running around like chickens with their heads cut off and he was totally buying Junior an ice cream before they went home because this was the best baby sitter tormenting ever.


	42. Seeing Red - Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flowers is protect of his team.

They are the closest thing he has to children. An angry, borderline destroyed AI uploaded into a rather impressive android and an overly excitable and flirtatious young solider with so much potential and so little chance to live up to it.

The first time Sarge’s afternoon attack actually gets Tucker shot and whimpering in pain and he sees red and almost blows Sarge’s head off because he would die for his boys, but more than that he would _kill_ for them.


	43. Peanut Butter - Tucker/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tucker is lazy and Wash likes the company.

"We’re out of peanut butter," Tucker groans as he throws the empty canister in the trash.

"Then go out and buy some," Wash sighed without looking up from his book.

"Naw, I’d rather stay here with you," Tucker smiled, shuffling into the living room and flopping down beside Wash.


	44. Sponge Bath - Flowers, Sarge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some moments make Flower's job all the more satisfying. Hospital AU.

"Go away," the old man in the hospital bed snaps when Flowers enters the room with his usual cheerfulness.

"But it’s time for your sponge bath," Flowers informed the grizzled man, grinning widely because it isn’t but he enjoys how it makes the man known as Sarge flinch.

And the fury in those eyes is just perfect


	45. Red on White - Flowers/Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida goes to help pull Bravo Team out when the job goes wrong.

There’s red painted over white normally so pristine it could be part of a cleaning products material. Flowers has never seen so much red on that white, never seen Reggie in the position to be hurt, never seen him wobbling like that, never seen him…

The red is still there as he jumps from the Pelican, as his hands are pumping cartridge after cartridge into his battle rifle and launching the explosive rounds at the Insurrectionist forces to keep their heads down, to keep them away from the perfect white as purple lifts and carries white to safety and the world is red and he will destroy them all.


	46. Costume Party - Florida/Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida loves helping Wyoming get ready for parties.

"I’m not exactly sure why we’re in these costumes," Wyoming observed around the weird feeling of a pipe in his mouth.

"It’s a Halloween party," Florida repeated for the hundredth time with cheerful ease as he straightened out Wyoming’s hat, the hang of his coat, the way his pants fell down his long, strong legs that he wanted to see shaking as Wyoming gasped while he sucked bruises into them and…

"And you have the right voice for it," Florida quickly added, pulling away and turning his attention to his own costume rather than continuing in his favorite line of thought.


	47. Why You? - Maine, Florida

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a mercenary Maine hates working with. Which, of course, means that he gets to work with him often.

Maine groaned when he boarded the Pelican and saw an all too familiar blue form that perked up at the sight of him.

"Well, well, well, together yet again, Maine," Florida breezed, jumping to his feet and oozing a combination of cheerfulness and a strange tension that made Maine shudder.

Maine threw himself down in an open seat, his bag crashing to the floor between his feet, sat back, and closed his eyes, because if he feigned sleep at least he got a little peace.


	48. Smoking - Grif, Donut, Simmons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smoking is a filthy habit Donut and Simmons try to break Grif of.

Donut is the one that suggests the spray bottle, points out he uses it when he’s training dogs.

Simmons decides to try it, fills the bottle with a pink water bottle scented with rose hips that Donut gave him.

And as he fled screaming he mused that he didn’t know Grif could run _so fast_.


	49. Fix it Yourself - Lopez, Sarge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lopez doesn't like the old fool who comes to his repair shop.

"If you’re gonna live in this country you might as well speak the god damn language!"

Lopez just stared at the old, racist asshole who hired him to repair his decrepit old jeep and resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

_"I speak it better than you do, and just don’t care to talk.”_


	50. Gofer - Grif, Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new guy working the carnival is a bit slow on the uptake.

"Hey, gofer, get me another thing of oil!"

The tall young man paused in front of Grif tilting his head in clear confusion as he stared, his eyes narrowing, clearly trying to process and Grif didn’t know whether it was the word ‘another’ ‘thing’ or ‘oil’ that had confused Caboose.

"I’m not a gofer, Mister French Fry Man, I am a person," Caboose declared suddenly with a grin and a wave and walked off.


	51. Excercise Routine - Wash/Doc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doc likes watching Wash work out.

"You know you could probably stand to hydrate," Doc observed as he watched the well muscled man with the beautifully flawless skin shining with sweat and the slight slant to his eyes sit up from the bench and grab for his towel.

The man looked up at him, met his gaze with cool gray eyes and a raised eyebrow as he ran the towel over his shoulders and neck and finally the padding of the bench before tossing the towel into his bag and pulling out a water bottle.

The way his throat worked as he drank deeply, his adam’s apple rising and falling and his lips wrapped tightly around the bottle and the way his hair fell across his face made Doc have to swallow hard.


	52. Sweet Treat - Grif, Simmons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simmons steals Grif's Oreos.

"Give them back," there is a wild, almost feral light in Grif’s eyes, and that would be terrifying if Simmons hadn’t been sitting on the ‘watch platform’ that was really more of the beginnings of a tree house floor that had been built into the old tree.

"Not until you clean that mess you call a room," Simmons said, selecting an oreo from the package and biting right into it, smiling at the way Grif pulled at his hair.

"If you’re going to eat them, then at least do it _right_!”


	53. Robotics - Sarge, Simmons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simmon's new adviser is a bit of a mad scientist.

"No, not there you moron, _there_ ," the old man snapped as he pointed out the proper location for the placement of the tertiary processing unity in the left thigh of the android.

"Uh, yes sir," Simmons, his stupid grad student whimpered as he redirected himself and inserted the component properly.

"Geez, where did you get your fucking bachelor’s degree, in a cereal box!?"


	54. Musical Inclination - Flowers, Church

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flowers sings in the shower.

"Hey, uh, Captain," Church called, coming into the locker room and freezing when he heard Butch’s voice echoing around, mingling with the sound of falling water.

_"And I say I won’t stop, no, till Hell is your home, there’s nowhere to hide, no, nowhere, you’ll feel the cold of my gun at your head, you left me for dead."_

Church listened to the cheerful threat in Flower’s singing voice, and just backed right out because really Tucker getting his gun stuck up on the crenelation of the base could seriously wait.


	55. Dancing Partner - Carolina/York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York sees the most beautiful person at the club.

Her laughter is light, musical, carefree like her eyes, like her body as she moves with the music, swaying with her arms above her head and her hips moving with sinuous grace and she’s the only thing he’s been able to look at all night and the fact that she’s here, dancing, with him is unbelievable.

He shouts a question over the thrum of the music, asks what’s so funny, why she’s laughing, doesn’t ask why she’s so beautiful, so breath taking, so impossibly out of his league.

She smiles, those cheery red lips spreading enough to bare ivory teeth as she calls back through the noise, “You sure can’t dance.”


	56. Kiss Cam - South/CT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes sports changes the picture.

They go as friends when North backs out last minute and there is no one else to drag along to fill the seat.

She laughs every time South tries to explain the rules, nods sagely, asks idiotic questions about the various stats that are tracked and why it’s three strikes and why it’s a seventh inning stretch and so many stupid questions that South wants to scream ‘shut up and watch the damn game.’

When the kiss cam comes up, focused on CT and the man beside her South rolls her eyes as the man leans over on the big screen and they go wide as CT pushes him aside and leans off camera and it follows her and South can see her own shock in the second before CT’s lips are hard and hungry on hers and all South can think is that they aren’t leaving as mere friends.


	57. Moment of You - Florida/Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They steal their happiness.

They steal their happiness in brief moments.

It’s in Wyoming pushing him against a locker between when North strides out and when South strides in, kissing him with the kind of force that leaves Florida breathless and forces him to hurry his helmet on when the locker room door slides open. It’s in Florida running his fingers firmly along the parts of Wyoming that aren’t covered by snow white armor while they watch for his target. It’s in Wyoming passing over the last bagel at breakfast for Florida to take, or Florida bringing him tea at lunch.

They remember the points they are more frantic better. Wyoming throwing Florida down on his bed, stripping off pieces of armor as if they won’t have time for it, getting each other bare, and then they are lips exploring stretches of heated skin. They think about Florida’s gasps and Wyoming’s grunts. They revel in their memories of movement and friction and heat.

But it’s the kisses and presses of fingers and bagels and tea that Florida remembers as he feels his throat close from the aspirin injection. The simpler moments, the pleasure of just being, that made him happiest.

He wishes he’d had more.


	58. Air Guitar - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash loves to rock out. And he looks ridiculous.

He looks ridiculous. Like the worst kind of joke. A man taking himself seriously while playing air guitar to old Earth rock music deserves to be taunted and ridiculed and denounced as the greatest nerd there ever was or ever will be.

Instead Maine has to sit there, watching Wash bite his lip in that cute way he does as the younger man ‘wails’ on the imagined instrument.

Sit there and be unable to tell anyone. Sigma failed to find it amusing enough to share like Maine wanted to, and no one understood him quite like Wash did. He wanted to tell everyone.

Instead he watches.


	59. Meeting of Minds - Delta, Theta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theta and Delta get a real chance to talk.

The second they’re walking along the snowy plains, Theta flashes into life hovering in front of York’s helmet.

"Hey!" Theta greets, cheerful despite the mood that came from South barely conscious on North’s back, North’s tension over what he’d had to do to get her out of there, and York broken by what they had seen escaping.

"Not now, Theta," York growls, his voice pained.

"But…"

Delta flashes into existence a few paces behind North and South, and there is something that is clearly meant to mimic the amusement in York’s voice when he speaks. “Please leave York alone. He is…”

"Delta!" Theta cheers, blinking over to the other AI. "Now we can talk!"

They do until South yells at them to shut up two hours later.


	60. Slip and Slide - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose takes Church ice skating.

"I’m not so sure this is a good idea," Church sighs as Caboose offers him a hand to step over the inches high barrier between him and the ice.

"Don’t worry," Caboose answers with a smile, "I’ll keep you standing."

And just who was going to keep Caboose on his feet?


	61. Sex Tape - Grif/Simmons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grif has a get rich quick scheme.

"I’m not sure this is the best idea," Simmons mumbles, trying not to stare at the camera Grif was adjusting.

"I’m telling you, Simmons, this is going to elevate you into wealth and fame, like that crazy chick with the hair with that stupid fashion line and tv show that everyone talks about," Grif promises, grinning to himself.

Or the tape was going to find itself ‘lost’ into Grif’s personal collection, which was a bigger win in his opinion.


	62. If You Love It Let It Go - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine finds a kitten that they can't keep.

Wash trying to tell Maine that he can't keep the kitten he just found

"No," Wash sighs, biting his lip inside his helmet because it’s not the answer he wants to give.

Maine tilts his head, gives a low, questioning rumble, and holds the small gray bundle of fluff out toward him.

"No, we can’t keep it," Wash repeats, and god the answer hurts.


	63. Buying Affection - Epsilon/Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix proves his affection for his boyfriend in the best way he knows how. He spends money.

"I need two student tickets for the eight o’clock showing of Guardians of the Galaxy."

Epsilon freezes, looks up from fishing his own wallet out of his pocket, and just stares at Felix’s offer to spend that much money on him.

"Well," Felix explains with a grin and a shrug, "It _is_ our six month anniversary."


	64. Touch Down - Felix/Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix shows off for the only one that matters.

The world around him is a mass of cheering, shouting, congratulating bodies that seem to unconsciously part for her.

"That last second touchdown was pretty impressive," she smiles up at him, her face a vision of beauty framed in red and centered on vivid green eyes and a suggestive smile.

"Had to earn my victory kiss, didn’t I?"


	65. Problem Customers - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash hates his regular customers at the bakery. AKA his boyfriends.

"I hate you both, so much," Wash sighs from behind the counter as he helps Maine arrange muffins on a display tray, and yet his eyes are glued to them.

"You love us," York easily counters from where North has him pinned against the other side of the display, and Wash stares at his lips, wants to kiss away the crumb of chocolate at the corner of his mouth.

North’s already had his first bite of turnover, and his morning nibble at the chocolate scone he’s going to deliver to South, and Wash knows that means York’s lips are going to taste like chocolate and apple and cinnamon and North, and it takes a supreme act of restraint not to seize those lips.


	66. Bowtie - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Church is tense on his wedding day.

He doesn’t remember how to tie his bowtie.

Strange, he’d practiced it a hundred thousand times in the last week until it had gotten to the point where he could do it with his eyes closed in the dark, and now that it’s actually necessary his fingers are clumsy and his head is stupid and all he has is a scrap of fabric that makes him want to scream and rant and threatens him with hot angry tears.

"Relax," Tucker sighs, stepping between him and the mirror and like magic Church feels the bow form under his best friend’s fingers, "all you have to do when you get out there is repeat after the dude, smile at Caboose, and kiss him when prompted. Even you can do that much."


	67. Chocolate Suace - Delta/Maine, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What can he say? Delta likes chocolate.

"Hey D, where’s the chocolate sauce? I need some for my ice cream."

Delta just curls up into a tight ball on the couch, cheeks going red at York’s request and the memory it provokes of an empty bottle, a well muscled chest, and the moans he’d dragged from Maine as he’d licked his lover clean.


	68. Blush - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine loves making Delta blush.

It’s a game and he’s the only one who knows the rules.

The points are the looks Delta gives him, the way he trembles, the stain of crimson starting on the bridge of his nose, flowing down over the curve of his cheekbones, washing down his neck and racing over his ears, and the breathy little sounds he makes.

Maine intends to run the score so high that it becomes pointless to keep track anymore.


	69. Safe Harbor - York/Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York is the comfort and support in Carolina's life.

He holds her.

His arms are the limits of her body, stretched around her tight and warm, delineating what is her from what is the rest of the world, protecting her from the quiet whispers of concern and confusion spilling from the rest of her friends.

He’s a safe harbor in a storm, holding her close and keeping her in so she can find the pieces and slowly put them back where they belong and pretend they had never broken at all.


	70. Moment of Peace - Felix/Locus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Locus figures out how to keep Felix silent.

The secret, he learns, is in keeping Felix’s mouth too busy to yield the mindless chatter that the other mercenary seems to spout on a whim. His life is a hundred times more bearable, failures a thousand times more manageable, and Felix a million times less insufferable to just shut him up.

The best methods he’s found usually involve his own mouth, but he’s in too much of a rush to fumble with armor and undersuits and he’s nowhere near willing to give Felix even momentary dominance. Instead he slams the gray and orange clad merc up against the display that had just been covered in Control’s words, rips off their helmets, and slams their lips together. He swallows down the mindless chatter that turns into protests that turns into moans backing up the hands scrabbling at his armor.

The silence holds for a few minutes when he pulls away and scoops up his helmet. Not for very long, but the moments are beautiful, peaceful, pleasurable. And if the swelling of his lips from the intensity of their contact, and the blood in his mouth from the way Felix had bit his lip left the sensations lingering in his head when the noise came back, if they tempted him to do more… Well, no one had to know.


	71. Blind Date - Florida/Wyoming, CT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida spies on his pending blind date.

"The whole point of a blind date is that you’re not supposed to know the person,” Connie sighed, but that didn’t seem to make her lower her binoculars.

"Shhhh," Flowers insisted, holding the open bag of popcorn out to her and shifting slightly to get more comfortable on the tree branch, "I think he’s about to take a shower."

"You ruin everything, Butch,” Connie observed and within seconds Flowers could feel the branch under him shake and hear feet hitting the distant ground and he didn’t care that he’d been abandoned in the slightest.

One did not go into any sort of battle without proper recon first.


	72. Secretary Blues - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine gets a new secretary at the office.

"Good afternoon, sir, I am your new secretary. You may call me Delta."

"I don’t need a…" Maine started to say, and he made the mistake of looking up from his desk, letting his eyes flow up long, slender legs and a slight torso and to a pretty face set with stunning green eyes and framed by long back hair that hung loose around his face like curtains.

"Never mind, just get to work. And pull your hair back," Maine orders when the man turns gracefully with a nod of his hair and moves to walk away. He can’t stand the thought of that hair being loose. Because looking at it makes him imagine it plastered to a sweat damped body spread over his desk with bright green eyes glazed over with pleasure, his chest heaving as he pants and dear god he needs to find a reason to fire this man before he does something that sets him up for a lawsuit.


	73. Best Father Ever - Flowers, Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flowers watches over his son on his first day at school.

"And what do we do when someone is mean to you?" Butch asks, unbuckling Michael’s seat belt for him and waiting for him to clamber out of the car before holding the boy’s backpack out to him.

"Smile and thank them for their input and punch them in the tummy," Michael beamed up at his father, shrugging the backpack onto his shoulders and taking his lunch bag from his dad.

"That’s my boy!" Butch cheered as he hugged his son and then pushed him toward the doors of the school. "Have a great first day!"


	74. Eyes Everywhere - Wash, Alpha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash goes through the halls of the MoI and doesn't know he's being watched.

The halls are pretty empty at ‘night,’ which is of course what makes them perfect for Wash to use to practice his skateboarding when he can’t sleep. He runs through tricks and basics and just aims to lose himself in the focus and the balance and it’s all he can do to ride away the nightmares.

But for the life of him, he can’t imagine where the applause comes from whenever he lands a hard trick, because he knows it isn’t in his head.


	75. Computer Mastery - Connie, Simmons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simmons joins the high school computer club.

"Hey look, we’ve got a new guy!" someone calls from the corner of the room and with a sigh Connie pushes back from her computer and makes her way to the door and the nervous looking kid that screams ‘awkward freshman’ in the way he’s holding himself and staring at her with wide eyes.

"Is this… uh, computer club?" he asks, his voice breaking and wavering in the same way all these losers did when they first showed up in her little haven, before she beat some sense into them (not to mention respect for, and ability to interact with, women).

"I’m Connie, call me CT, and I’m the president around here. Pull up a seat. Let’s put you through your paces and see just what kind of material you are."


	76. A/S/L/ - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine and Delta start off as friends online.

**deltafoxtrot12:** I want to meet you  
 **walkingwalls:** not a good idea  
 **deltafoxtrot12:** We’re both consenting adults. I don’t see what the problem is.   
**walkingwalls** **:** the last guy i met was a psycho  
 **deltafoxtrot12:** You’re telling me that a former Marine is afraid of me? You’ve seen my picture, I am hardly intimidating.   
**walkingwalls:** you’re smart smart people are dangerous in their own ways  
 **deltafoxtrot12:** I see. So you’re telling me that you would rather not see me at all?  
 **walkingwalls:** i’m saying it’s a bad idea  
 **deltafoxtrot12:** Ah. I suppose I’ll have to call a cab then.   
**walkingwalls:** a cab?  
 **deltafoxtrot12:** I was hoping that, since we have been friends for so long and were so close, you would offer me the use of your couch while I was in town. I see now that is not an option. Do you know the phone number for a cab company in town.   
**walkingwalls:** wait you’re in town  
 **deltafoxtrot12** **:** I’m at your door.  
 **deltafoxtrot12:** Maine?  
 **User walkingwalls has logged off. Message will be delivered upon next login.**  
  
Delta smiled, tucked his phone away, and waited for the door in front of him to open.


	77. Stay With Us - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York has a test and North and Wash don't want to let him go.

"I’ve got to get up, I’ve got a test in an hour," York sighed.

"No," Wash insisted, pressing more firmly into his side, "you’re not allowed to go when you’re finally here."

"And he’ll come right back," North promises from York’s other side, his voice soft and reassuring and York just grins.

As if he could do anything but come running back.


	78. Dancer - Tex/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North watches out for the girls, but he doesn't understand why Tex dances.

"Why do you do it?" he asks as he stands by the door to the changing room, arms crossed over his chest in the eternal pose of the bored security guard.

"The money’s good," Tex answers as she comes out past him, clad in cowboy boots, shorts that were far too short and clearly made to tear away, and a vest that didn’t really cover anything. She smirks when he looks her up and down, and tilts her head knowingly, “And the attention doesn’t hurt.”


	79. Letters Everywhere - Florida/Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wyoming has a creepy fan who gets places he shouldn't be.

The scary part isn’t the fact that there is no post mark or return address or that they show up on his pillow sometimes. It isn’t the fact that they have pictures of him when he’s alone in the safety of his home or when he’s walking the streets, or when he’s on a rooftop putting together his rifle. The most terrifying part is the fact that whoever this ‘Florida’ is, they sign their name with a heart on either side.


	80. Memories - Wash/Epsilon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Without the break down, Wash and Epsilon have a VERY different relationship.

"Please, don’t do that, it makes me uncomfortable," Wash sighs, staring up into the darkness of his tiny ass quarters and wincing when a spot of blue light appears hovering over his stomach.

"You say no, and yet your mind keeps offering up all these memories, all these fantasies about what you’d want me to do," Epsilon counters, strolling through the air and god damn the asshole always likes to make it a show because he’s stopped to stand just above where his erection is pressing up against the blanket.

"Please, Epsilon," he starts to repeat, and he doesn’t get it all out because he’s drowning in the memory of the best blowjob he’s ever had, unable to see anything but the head bobbing between his legs and he can feel it like it’s happening and within seconds he isn’t fit to question why the hair his fingers sink into is black and the eyes are blue and the person is a beautiful young man and not the woman he knows did this to him all those years ago.


	81. Slumber Party - South/CT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone knows you're not supposed to sleep at a sleep over.

"You know the point of this kind of thing is to sleep, right?"

"You can sleep when I’m done with you," South tells Connie, and her lips move slowly over the other woman’s neck in the dark of her room. She waits for another protest as her hand slides slowly down Connie’s stomach and instead she is rewarded with a pleased little sigh and a wet, warm place between Connie’s legs to amuse herself for a good long while.


	82. Extra  Credit - Florida/Donut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida and Donut make time for each other between the classes they teach.

"Why do you do this?" Donut asks, and when Flowers looks up from his coffee and raises a questioning eyebrow he almost regrets the question.

"I’m a people person," Florida cheerfully offers, and this time it’s Donut’s turn to quirk an eyebrow because they both know it’s not that.

"Because I know how long you have until your next class and just how to get the stuck closet in the teacher’s lounge open," Florida suggests instead with a grin that suggests and offers everything, and Donut’s never put his coffee aside so fast.


	83. Med School - Doc/Omega

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're both students, and Doc's learning more than he expected.

They both have their specialties. The man who calls himself O’Malley wants to be an internalist, someone who knows people from the inside out, who can take them apart and put all the pieces back together again. Doc isn’t big into blood and cutting and the unnerving parts, so he specializes in the cases he knows he can’t help in, not really. He studies oncology because at least then he has a chance to comfort people through the worst parts of their lives.

They shouldn’t work together, not in the slightest. They shouldn’t have even met. Except O’Malley gets his rotation in oncology at the same time as Doc and he can’t help but be completely taken by the man who can’t stop being angry. Not at the patients. Not at the diseases. But angry over the fact that he’s so powerless to help.


	84. Jealousy - Felix/Carolina, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix hates Carolina's relationship with her best friend.

It isn’t fair, and he knows it. He shouldn’t be sitting here, glaring, watching angrily as she smiles and laughs and jokes with York, with North, with Wash, and yet he is. It doesn’t matter that she’s already his, will always be his, he doesn’t like the idea of the temptation these men might present. After all, it isn’t like she hasn’t indulged in them before.


	85. Anonymous - Doc/Donut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They go to meetings for different reasons, but they find strength in each other.

They’re there for different reasons: Donut because he drunk too much since he was young, trying to wipe away the memory of a disapproving father whose fists had left all sorts of bruises; Doc because using uppers to keep going on a late shift at the hospital had turned into using uppers to just feel like he could get through any day.

They stopped for different reasons: Doc because his abuse had been noticed by a colleague and cleaning up had been the only way to make sure his superiors didn’t find out; Donut because he couldn’t do it after losing an entire week to a drunken stupor when his parents had come out to visit.

They stay for the same one: love is an addiction neither of them can forsake.


	86. Happy Birthday - Wash/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose does his best for his boyfriend's birthday.

"Agent Washington!" Caboose calls and Wash just sighs and turns away from his observation of Tucker’s pushups.

"Yes, Caboose?" he asks, resisting the urge to cross his arms over his chest.

"Agent Washington! I heard it is your birthday today and I don’t have any gifts so I got you this instead!"

The arms around him are tight, and Wash wants to melt into the hug. Instead he holds himself rigid until Caboose lets him go and strolls off singing ‘happy birthday’ and then turns back to Tucker to glare down at the other blue.

"Say anything, and I will kill you.”


	87. Another Name - Wash, York/Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soulmate AU: York is Wash's soulmate, and Wash isn't York's.

He catches a glimpse of it while York is pulling on his shirt after a shower. ‘Charlotte Church’ it declares, aqua words written above York’s heart and a private confession of the woman York will always love, always be meant for. Wash lets his hand come up to the same spot on him, where the name Miles Cunningham, the real name Wash had dug up in York’s files with Connie’s help, rests in a golden brown and makes his whole chest ache because it wasn’t fair to know that York would never be the same to him.


	88. Heroic Quest - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North wishes he had better comrades on his quest to slay the dragon.

"Okay, but can someone explain why we have to take the half blind guy with us?"

"Can you pick the lock that chains the princess to the stone outside the Dragon’s Lair?"

"I’m surrounded by idiots," North sighs, rubbing his temples as he watches the thief and the archer sent with him to complete his knightly quest bicker.


	89. Lost - Wash, Donut, Doc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash, Donut and Doc go shopping in Ikea.

"I told you to take a map," Wash groaned as he collapsed onto a couch during hour two of the annual trip to Ikea to ‘redo’ the decor of their apartment.

"You say that every year," Donut chides, amusement in his voice, "and we never need it in the end."

"Some pitying employee always shows us the way out in the end," Doc sighs, shaking his head.


	90. Mr. and Mr. Wyoming - Florida/Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida and Wyoming as enemy spies... who are married.

The home that Butch had spent years building is a ruined mess around them, and there is a momentary urge to take a piece of wood close at hand and thrust it through Reggie’s neck when his eyes alight on the place where a beautiful hutch had once stood.

"Something the matter?" Reggie asks, his voice thick with fatigue and bordering on pleased.

"Your shooting broke my ming vase."


	91. Stand In - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York is a fan of the band, and to have them talk to him... mind blowing.

"Hey," the impossibly tall, impossibly beautiful blond man whose voice had to belong to some sex god and not the mortal before him, greeted.

It was all York could do not to leap to his feet, drop his drumsticks, and asks that beautiful creature to take him then and there, well, that and the shorter, no less gorgeous blond beside the Adonis who was looking at him with a mixture of clear annoyance and expectation.

"Yeah?" York answers instead, trying to keep his voice level and cool.

"You any good with those?" blond bombshell number two asked, his voice rich and smooth and maybe not sex god levels but clearly still painfully beautiful.

"I’m great with anything you put in my hands," York grinned, earning him a smirk from the tall god, and an eye roll from the smaller.

"Our drummer called in sick, we’ve got a set in an hour, and we need someone to cover," tall blond sighs. "You up for it?"

Anything to get their names.


	92. Or Don't Let Go - Maine, Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or maybe they can keep the kitten.

Maine presses the kitten against Wash’s chest plate, gestures to move his hands apart, and immediately Wash raises his hands to cradle the bundle of fur.

It mewls up at him, paws at his chest plate, circles once, twice, three times in his hands, and curls up in a tight little ball.

"Fine!" he groans, "we can keep the thing."


	93. Puppy Bow - Caboose, Tucker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding a box of puppies with Caboose means never letting them go.

"Oh, oh, oh Tucker, Tucker, can we keep them?"

Tucker frowns down at the box of puppies that had been left out on the side of the road, looks to his boyfriend, looks back to the mass of fur and flesh that are going to get a lot bigger and chew up everything in their apartment.

"Yeah," he sighs, because he can’t bear to tell Caboose no.


	94. Earl Grey - Florida/Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida actually does open that tea shop. Wyoming is not a good employee.

"Reggie, why does our supply of Earl Grey see to dwindle at a rate disproportionate to our sales?" Florida asks, arms crossed over his chest and foot tapping impatiently in the stockroom door.

"I cannot begin to imagine why," Wyoming answers, managing not to smile as he lifts his tea cup and takes a sip of the lovely brew. "I cannot imagine at all."


	95. Golden Rose - York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York loves North's tattoos.

"And this one?" York asks, brushing his lips over gold colored rose tattooed into North’s shoulder.

"State flower for New York."

York grins and drags his teeth over the ink and resisted the urge to way he loved that he had such a clear claim on North’s body.


	96. Roadtrip - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York is a terrible road trip companion.

"Are we there yet?"

Wash isn’t quite sure whether it’s his slap to the back of York’s head or the elbow North slammed into York’s gut that shuts the other man up. All he knows is that the silence is blessed.


	97. Just a Bit More - Caboose, The Director

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose asks for a bit of help.

"Uh… Can I possibly maybe by chance borrow some money?" Caboose asks, frowning down at his hands and the roll of quarters that had been meant for his laundry but probably could cover his lunch.

The man, Leonard Church (and Caboose loved the way that named sounded in his head), sighed and rolled his eyes as he turned his attention to the cashier.

"Ring us up together."


	98. Bambi's Mom - Wyoming, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wyoming takes York hunting.

"I don’t want to do this."

"Shut up or you’ll scare away dinner."

"That’s not dinner, that’s Bambi’s fucking MOM."


	99. Cuddle - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Church steals cuddles when Caboose has gone to sleep.

Caboose is a heavy sleeper, and to be honest, Church is thankful for that.

Because he honestly doesn’t know if he’d have the courage to do this—to run his fingers over the larger man’s shoulders, down his sides, ghost over his hips and thighs and press their bodies together, wrap his arm around Caboose’s waist and hold him whispering loving words into his shoulder—if there was a chance Caboose would wake up.

Caboose isn’t actually a heavy sleeper, and it takes all he can do not to sigh at the pleasure of Church’s affection.


	100. Freckles - Theta, Caboose, Epsilon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose and Theta bond over dogs.

"Oh, you would love Freckles, very much, he is the **best _pet EVER_**!”

"What kind of pet is Freckles?"

"Somebody _please_ tell me you idiots didn’t get Caboose a dog!” Epsilon groans, shooting the over eager Theta a look.


	101. Down for the Count - Felix, Locus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix doesn't care that Locus is a famous fighter. He isn't impressed.

"This is all you’ve got? Clearly that fame has nothing to do with your actual fighting skill," Felix spits, and ignores the pain of his split and bleeding lip, and the bruises up and down his arms and stomach, and especially the pounding in his head from the other man’s wicked right cross.

And before he can blink he’s on his back on the mat, a foot pressed to his throat, with the larger man standing over him, smirking.

So… maybe he was wrong.


	102. Apartment Hunting - Blue Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Blues get an apartment together. It's turning out poorly.

"No, that is not even remotely happening," Wash insists, glaring at the large studio apartment that was _still a studio apartment_ and seemed to have Tucker, Caboose and Church pleased.

"If nothing else," Tex sighs, her hand coming up to rest on Wash’s shoulder, "it’s in our price range."

"And we could afford to live somewhere that we wouldn’t be violating the fire code on if one of those three _would just get a job_!”


	103. Do Not Pass Go - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York is too good at Monopoly.

"Do you think he’s cheating?" Wash asks North as he watches York celebrate rolling a second pair of sixes and landing right on Boardwalk. His monopoly on that entire side of the board was now complete.

"How do you cheat at Monopoly?" North whispers back, genuinely curious.

"Loaded dice?"


	104. Assistance - Florida/Maine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida is good at getting Maine to do what he wants.

"Maine, come over here, I need you."

It’s the quality of his voice, thick and velvet and aching with want that gets Maine up from the couch and into the kitchen and he can’t help but glare as he looks at Florida sitting on the counter, smiling up at him.

"I can’t reach the wine glasses up on the top shelf," Florida tells him with a grin, as if he didn’t realize how dirty of a move it was to lure him in here with the sorts of promises that had been in his voice.


	105. A Man I Used To Know - Maine/Florida

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida gets Sigma, and Maine gets blue team.

Maine sleeps with one eye open and one hand on his fully loaded Bruteshot. He only bothers on the off chance that it’s Wyoming or Tex or York or the Dakotas that finds them.

He knows that if it’s Florida, the Florida he used to know, he might stand a chance like this.

And if it’s not, if it’s the Florida the Sigma forged in his fires instead of the man he had loved, well… Maine knows he won’t see it coming.


	106. Movie Night - York/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The only thing worse than watching movies with York is watching them with Delta.

"It is highly improbable that simple fire from a hand gun would manage to ignite the gas tank of a…"

York groans and throws popcorn at the man sitting next to him on the couch, “It’s called suspension of disbelief, D.”

When the other man moves to open his mouth to protest York is across the space between them like a flash and kissing him, because that’s the only way he’s ever going to get through this scene in peace.


	107. Mugger - York/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delta finds a man beaten in an alley, and can't let him go.

Delta finds him in the mouth of an alley, the left side of his face a bloody wreck and a hand pressed over his eyes and he’s shaking. There is nothing he can do but call for an ambulance, and when the paramedics get there he gets talked into going to the hospital with them. He’s the one the doctors fill in when they’re done stitching the stranger up, the one they tell that the man’s going to be blinded in his left eye, the one who they give his care over to when they discharge the stranger from the ER because by some clerical error he found himself treated like this man’s best friend.

He doesn’t even find out the man’s name is Marcus until the discharge and care papers are thrust into his hands. Doesn’t find out he goes by York until the man wakes up, terrified, on his bed three hours later. Doesn’t figure out how to explain what happened for another hour while York panics. Doesn’t get the story out of him for another two.

And for all his effort, he hasn’t been able to get the man out of his bed in the five years since. Well, no, that isn’t true. He hasn’t been trying at all.


	108. Only Kisses - Tucker/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tucker doesn't understand, but he tries anyway.

Tucker doesn’t understand.

But when Wash said no the first time he stopped. When Wash said no the second time a week later, he stopped. And when Wash explained it to him after a month Tucker stopped altogether.

He was positive he could more than live on Wash’s gentle kisses and warm arms wrapped around him when they slept.


	109. Eyes On Me - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delta isn't big on York's bachelor party location, but he likes the company.

"You know," Delta murmurs, swallowing hard against the feeling of lips on his throat, "you’re supposed to watch the dancers at a place like this."

He gets a growl, one that is low, throaty, and possessive, as Maine starts to suck a mark into his neck.

"Yeah," he agrees, his hips rocking forward against the hand pressed between his legs, "this is a better way to spend York’s bachelor party.”


	110. Bullies - Florida, Maine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida and Maine are effective bullies.

You’d never know it to look at the two of them.

The kid that goes by Maine is a huge wall of muscle who seems to get his kicks out of bashing kids’ heads in and only needed to intimidate people once to have them cowering before him. The kid known as Florida is small, smiling, and friendly, and can smooth talk anyone out of anything, including their lunch money, and into taking the blame for things that he’s done.

You’d never know it to look at the two of them, but between them they rule the school.


	111. Hand Over Alpha - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash gets Sigma, and Maine doesn't know how to stand against him.

"I’ll say it one last time, Maine: hand over the Alpha."

All he can do is weakly snarl his refusal and wish for the voice to scream David’s name, to try and make the man before him into the cheerful, over enthusiastic, loving man he’d known instead of the cold, calculating person before him.

"How unfortunate," Wash says, but the words are swallowed up in three reports of the pistol in the gray and yellow armored man’s hand and Maine’s falling backwards and this time he’s pretty sure the fact that he can’t breathe isn’t from shock.


	112. Logic and Flesh - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine gets Delta, and it goes worse.

They give him an AI to speak for him. To be his voice, his companion, his support. They don’t realize that what they’ve really done is given him to the AI. To be his core, his mainframe, his body. To be his heart and his conscious and his morality. To be the physical to the mental.

They don’t realize how easy it is to melt into the devotion and loyalty Delta offers him. To become more a creature driving by his calculations and certainty than Maine’s training and instincts. They don’t realize that Maine is gone within weeks rather than months.

They don’t recognize the creature driven by the need for revenge standing in their midst until he’s destroyed them, one by one, their bodies ragged ruins behind him and the chips of his brothers pressed into his neck and filling his head.


	113. Helping Out - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash breaks his arm while skateboarding.

Honestly, it doesn’t change much between them. Sure, usually it was Wash who cooked and cleaned and managed the house, but Maine was always there when he did it, hovering at his side, silently helping, or just smiling at his lover as he watched him move about. Having the reverse for a while, Maine decides by the third day, is a pleasure all on its own.


	114. Space Heater - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash loves is space heater.

A man the size and weight and build of Maine has one thing going for them that Wash loves more than anything else: they are walking furnaces. Honestly Wash isn’t sure which he loves more, the taste of Maine’s lips on his, or the sensation of Maine pressed up against him at night, hot as sin and holding him close.

No, actually, he knew: it was the heat.


	115. Third Floor - Doc, Donut, Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose, Donut and Doc at Hogwarts.

"I really hate the stairs," Caboose sighed, frowning as he held on to the banister and waited for them to stop shifting.

"They did warn us about this," Donut pointed out, cheerful as ever even though as he was looking he could see the stairs were going to end on the third floor wing that they were forbidden from this year.

"I… I think I’m going to be sick," Doc moans as he crouches down on a stair and closes his eyes: this was not the life his muggleborn self had signed up for.


	116. That's Not A Dog - Locus/Donut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Locus and Donut go pet shopping.

"That’s a lizard," Donut points out, frowning hard at the tank Locus had been standing in front of for almost ten minutes now.

"Exactly."

"We’re… we agreed on a dog,” Donut groaned, rubbing at his temples.


	117. Scrabble - Caboose, Smith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose and Smith deal with customers at the pet shop.

"I really don’t like that creepy guy that has been staring at Scrabble," Caboose frowned.

"Oh, and why is that, Sir?" Smith asked the older employee, glancing over at the strange pair of a chipper blond man in a pink shirt and a quiet, intimidating looking and scarred man next to him.

"Because looks like he wants to eat Scrabble," Caboose insisted, and Smith smiled because only Caboose would worry about the most ill tempered lizard in the store getting eaten.


	118. Toy Skateboards - Maine/Wash, Theta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash and Maine babysit Theta.

Wash smiles as he leans against the breakfast bar, mug of coffee in his hand and raised to hide said smile. He knew it would take nothing at all for Maine to pick up on the amusement in his eyes as he watched his lover hold tiny skateboards and their pieces as Theta chattered on and on about tricks and professionals and designs, and Maine would be annoyed if he thought Wash was amused by the whole situation. Not that he was amused; no, Wash was awed at how well Maine worked played with the child, and trying to ignore the ache in his chest that came up whenever he wished he could give Maine something that would always be there, and always be theirs.


	119. Stand Off - Wash, Locus, Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash, Locus and Felix as mobsters.

"So this is it?" Wash asks, lowering his empty pistols with a sigh.

"So it would seem," Felix laughed, his voice hard and curling in a way that Wash hadn’t heard in any of the nights the three of them had spent together. "Any last words?"

Wash opens his mouth, sees a flash of motion to his left where Locus was standing, and he didn’t even think about how relieved he was that Locus, at least, wasn’t going to draw this out.


	120. B Sci-Fi Movies - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose is tired of Church's movies.

"Okay, so this is pretty much the monster movie to end all monster movies,” Church said, popping open the DVD case and chattering gleefully because it had taken him months to get his hand on this, “and by end I pretty much mean start.”

"Uh, well that sounds really interesting and everything Church but…"

"But what, Caboose?"

"Can we watch the movie with the talking dogs?"


	121. Naptime - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose and Church are stranded at the airport.

Hour five of their delay and Church is going crazy. They are edging in on the territory where their flight clearly is going to be cancelled, there is a crying baby who smells like piss three seats down and behind him, and there are belligerent people at the counter shouting down the frazzled lady there hoping for information that isn’t going to come. And the thing is he’d be one of those belligerent assholes up and ranting and full of bile if it wasn’t for the fact that Caboose had fallen asleep two hours ago, and there was something soothing about running his fingers through the hair of the man who had chosen to use his lap as a pillow.


	122. Dodgeball - Felix, Locus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gym teachers know how to settle their differences.

"There’s only one way to settle this," Felix declares imperiously, arms crossed over his chest as he glares at the other gym teacher.

"Oh?" Locus asks, raising an eyebrow and ignoring the shuffling around of the students on either side of the gym.

"Dodgeball."


	123. Space Pirates - Church/Tex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Space pirates Church and Tex are going to rule the galaxy.

"You can’t take on a full ship on your own, Tex, this is just crazy," Church snarls under his breath as he tries to keep the rowboat steady enough for Tex to grab onto the merchant ship’s anchor chain.

"Watch me."

Then she’s climbing, quick and nimble, and an alarm goes up almost immediately, leaving Church worried as he hears roars and splashes and even a burst of gunfire until at last there’s a rope dangling in front of his face and when he looks up she’s grinning down at him triumphantly.

"Show off."


	124. Hostages - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Church and Caboose are hostages in a bank robbery.

"I want my shoes back," Caboose sighs, staring at the pile of shoes in the middle of the floor and watching his favorite sneakers just sitting there, probably lonely.

"Shut _up_ Caboose,” Church hisses, and if his fingers tighten around Caboose’s it’s because he’s nervous, he’s terrified that Caboose is going to do something and get himself shot. “Just shut up and stay quiet and you’ll get your shoes back, I promise.”

He hopes.


	125. Bright Smile - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose saves Church from awkward flirting at a bar.

"Oh, there you are!" a chipper young man announces as he plops down onto the bar stool next to Leonard’s and he grins widely at the woman standing on the other side of Leonard and waves.

"You haven’t introduced me to your new friend," the young man says, still grinning and reaching past Church to reach for the lady’s hand and Church honestly can’t tell if the glass getting knocked over and into the woman’s lap is an accident or deliberate. But the woman is gone and he just has to turn and stare at the young man.

"Listen, I don’t know who you think I am but…"

"Oh, I don’t think you’re anyone. You just looked like she made you feel weird, so I came over to help."

Smiles that bright should be against the law.


	126. Stay - Florida/Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wyoming can't handle letting Florida go.

"Please…" Reggie asks, his voice soft, a whisper practically swallowed up between his pillow and his mustache. "Stay."

Florida smiles at the warmth of fingers curled around his wrist, the plaintive need in that voice, the echo of the feel of those lips and that mustache all over him. And he settled back into the bed next to the larger man with his own whispered reply.

"All you had to do was ask."


	127. Sing-Along - Felix/Locus/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash and Locus don't take well to Felix's jokes.

"I’ve got one word for you: sing-along!"

Felix has the reflexes of a cat on the prowl. Which is honestly a good thing, because he has to dance left to avoid the knife Wash threw (headed for his stomach) and duck down to avoid the bullet Locus had tried to put in his head.


	128. I Love You - Tuck/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three words change everything.

"I love you."

The words are the faintest hint of a whisper pressed against the base of his neck. The breath they come with is warm, trembles through his hair, and makes him shiver. And with that he can hear Tucker curse quietly behind him.

"I… thought you were asleep," Tucker says, louder, a worried edge to his tone. "Can we pretend I didn’t just say that?"

"No," Wash insists, rolling and pressing their lips together. "Never."


	129. Masterpiece - Florida, Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida is a... unique artist.

"Hey, Florida," Wyoming calls as he makes his way across the mess hall, "have you seen the…?"

He pauses when he gets close enough to see just what held Florida’s attention so raptly. Which was the plate in front of him.

Which was covered with the ketchup Wyoming had been seeking.

And which Florida was busy drawing a scarily accurate reproduction of Wyoming’s face into by moving the red fluid around with a toothpick.

"Oh."


	130. Mall Security - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine is lost in the mall.

"Sir? Sir, can I help you?"

Maine twists to look for the voice, and finds himself looking down into the bored but stunning emerald eyes of a slight man in the uniform of mall security.

"I’m… lost," he admits with a sigh, looking around at the frantic bustle of people going about their lives, and hating the admission. This place was too big, too busy, and too constantly shifting in the stores it offers, taking away his reference points when he doesn’t visit in over a year.

The man smiles up at him, half amusement and half something Maine doesn’t have a word for, and just nods to himself. “Let me help.”

He doesn’t say no.


	131. Piercing - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delta asks Maine a question he's scared to answer.

"You want me to do what?" Maine asks, sitting up a bit straighter and staring at the man standing before, him. The man nervously wringing his hands and looking anywhere but at Maine.

"You can, right?"

"Of course," Maine says, frowning harder at his lover. "That doesn’t mean I should. This is a very serious decision, D. Are you sure you’ve thought about it?"

Delta just smiles at him, that warm sweet smile he always uses that melts Maine’s heart and cuts through any argument.

"I’m positive," he assures Maine, and with that he’s holding out the box of simple gold stud earrings and the piercing gun.

This, he decided with a sigh as he got out of the chair to make room for Delta, was why he should never let Delta visit him at work. Because before he knew it the quiet little man he had met less than a week ago was asking to have his ears pierced, and Maine was more scared of fucking this up than he ever had been with any customer before.


	132. Agent Carolina - Felix, Locus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix bitches at Locus for not noticing the imposter in their midst.

"Seriously, where the fuck did that clown come from?" Felix snaps, pacing back and forth. "How the hell did you manage to let that Freelancer BITCH in with your team? Really, did you not notice that she looked different?"

"There are a number of individuals who use that style of hel…"

"THE WINGS JACKASS!" Felix roars, turning on him. "The motherfucking WINGS on her helmet. Have you missed the part where we all have a fucking SKULL on ours? Are you blind, or just STUPID!?"


	133. Mario Kart - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mario Kart destroys relationships.

"You know," Wash sighs, "when I said I wanted to be in bed with you two, this wasn’t quite what I imagined."

"Shush," York growled out of the corner of his mouth, leaning more intently over his controller. "I’ve almost won the… FUCK!"

"Sorry York," North chuckles. "Seems I had a blue shell."


	134. Requited - Delta/York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delta has a secret that York shares in his own way.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

There’s a tremor in Delta’s voice that makes York move to wrap his arms around his best friend’s shoulders, to make Delta gently lay his head on York’s shoulder, and runs his fingers through Delta’s hair.

"What is it, D?"

"I… think I’m in love with someone."

York smiles, leans in and places a kiss on his friend’s forehead. “Me too.”


	135. Wrestling - Florida/Maine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine misses the point of what Florida's asking for.

He’s fully clothed.

Worse, he’s fully armored.

Worse, he has his helmet on.

Worse, he’s actually in a fighting stance.

"You know, Maine," Florida sighed, shaking as he crossed the mat toward the far larger Freelancer. "When I said I wanted to wrestle, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind."


	136. Poker - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose and Church play cards.

"Are you… Are you _fucking_ kidding me!?” Church demanded, pushing back from the table and flinging his cards down on it. “There is no way, no _cocksucking way_ you’ve legitimately managed to get your third flush in a row.”

Caboose just smiled down at his cards, and then up at Church, and tilted his head. “This means I win again?”

"Yeah, it fucking means you win again."

"Oh. Then you have to take something off, right?" Caboose asked.

Church turned the absolute best shade of red as he looked down at himself and realized he only had his boxers left. He was red from his cheeks to his ears and all the way down his neck as he hooked his thumbs into the dark blue fabric and pushed it down and off.

It took everything Caboose had not to bite his lip. Nice. Very nice.

Okay… Now he could stop stacking the deck in his own favor.


	137. Say It - Florida/Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida loves to hear his own name.

"You forgot to say the magic word," Florida teases in that sing song voice as he lingers just out of Wyoming’s reach. He always does that, always keeps himself too far away to touch until he felt the moment was right.

"I did not," Wyoming insists. The simple fact of the matter was that he knew how much Florida liked it when he begged. So it was better for them both to draw it out.

"Prove it," Florida purrs, leaning in just far enough for Wyoming to reach out and brush a finger along the man’s jaw.

"Butch…"

And there he was, sitting in Wyoming’s lap, grinding against him, and god the kiss was magic.


	138. Final Words - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash enjoys his moments with Maine before the AI implantation.

"Everything’s going to be fine," Wash whispers to Maine as the other man stands. The action brings their fingers apart, and there is just the brief brush of skin before Maine is putting his helmet on and walking away from Wash’s bed and to the door. He’s gone before Wash can finish with the words ‘I hope.’

He spends the next two minutes wishing he had said it before pushing himself off his bed and getting his own helmet. He’d agreed to wait for Maine in Recovery. He wanted to be there when his lover woke up. Not only to meet the other man’s AI, but to tell Maine he told him so.


	139. Armor Color - Simmons, Grif

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simmons has to wonder why orange.

"That was really the only other color they had in your size?" Simmons sighs as he looks at Grif’s new orange armor and wonders just how much more like a sore thumb Grif wanted to stick out in this damn canyon.

"One, fuck you. Two, it hides the cheese residue from my Doritos."

Simmons rolled his eyes and didn’t mumble his other thought. The fact that when grif took off his helmet, that color was a damn good on him.


	140. Musical Theater - South, North, Theta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North gives his son over to South for the night, and he has a surprise.

"So, what video you got for us tonight, kid?" South smiles as she opens the door and Theta runs past her into her apartment. North smiles as his sister looks fondly after her nephew, and loves the light in her eyes as she watches Theta bounce onto her new couch.

"Looks like I won’t be getting an answer from him any time soon," South sighs, turning her attention back to North. "You got him ice cream on the way over, didn’t you?"

"Of course," North laughs, holding out Theta’s back pack and the DVD his son had selected for a night over with his aunt.

"North, what the hell is this?"

He grins. “One word for you, sis: Sing-along.”


	141. Too Hot - Wyoming/Florida

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wyoming wasn't ready for what was going to happen.

"This… Isn’t exactly what I had in mind," Wyoming panted, his teeth scraping over his bottom lip as he tried to hold back the gasp that threatened him.

"I know," Florida chuckled, his teeth scraping lightly over the bone and pausing to suck.

His lips were on fire, his tongue burning, and he could feel himself starting to sweat as Florida smiled sweetly at him, their eyes meeting and all he could see was the hunger in Florida’s eyes.

"I don’t understand why ‘buffalo sauce’ means it has to be spicy," Wyoming protested, setting the bones from the chicken wings aside and reaching for his glass of water.


	142. Simple Question - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash isn't expecting what Maine is asking for.

"Could… Could you repeat that?" Wash squeaked, because there was no way he had interpreted that combination of growls and snarls correctly. That wasn’t even possible.

The tilt of Maine’s helmet said he was rolling his eyes, and Wash just shrugged. That got Maine’s hands up before him, and Wash watched with ever widening eyes as Maine signed at him.

_Your room or mine?_

Wash swallowed hard as he kept staring. He hadn’t expected that when he’d jokingly told Maine to blow him.


	143. Goodnight - Wash/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash waits for Caboose to fall asleep.

He waits for Caboose to fall asleep. It takes a warm glass of water (the powdered milk is too precious to waste), a funny story from his Freelancer days, and a quieter story about something Wash knew about Church that Caboose didn’t. It’s their routine. It’s how they get through the night.

"Please stay," Caboose always whispers when Washington moves off of the bed to leave. "Just a little longer."

He always wakes up in the mornings with Caboose in his arms.


	144. Final Moments - Wash, Alpha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash takes the Alpha into his head before going to activate the EMP, and the two... talk.

_Well fuck._

"Yep."

_I don’t have to believe any of the shit I find in here you know._

"I know."

…

_Hey, uh… David?_

"I’d really rather be called Washington now."

_Right. Wash. Um… I’m really fucking sorry for what he… I… For what we did to you._

"It’s in the past, Alpha. Don’t make it into a big deal."

_Says the guy literally taking us on a suicide mission._


	145. Don't Say It - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They have moments together. Only moments. He wastes them.

"Please…"

Delta tries his best to shut his lover’s voice out, presses his hands against the bleeding wound in Maine’s shoulder. There’s nothing he can do about the chunk of metal in his stomach. Doesn’t let himself look at it. Just works to try and stop the bleeding.

"Please, love… just let me die…"

"Shut up," Delta insists. "Shut up shut up shut up! You can’t leave me. Not now. Shut up. Save your energy!"

"I love you."

"Shut up," Delta cries, pressing his hands harder against the wound because no, this isn’t the end, can’t be the end.

"Good… bye."

It takes almost three minutes before the first responders can pull him away from the mangled wreck of their car, and his lover’s broken body.


	146. Axe In His Chest - Wyoming/Florida, Wash, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wyoming watches over Florida after the chain gunners go down.

"Stop the bleeding!" Wyoming insists, pacing back and forth as he stares at Florida there, spread on the warehouse floor.

"I’m _trying_ ,” Washington sighs as he pulls out an extra biofoam injector from his emergency supplies. “You’re really not helping with all this hovering, Wyoming.”

"I’m not hovering. I’m just concerned for my friend," Wyoming answers.

Both Wash and York turn to look at him, and Wyoming can almost see the eye rolls he’s getting. But he doesn’t care. His only concern is seeing Florida stabilized. Not that he’s worried. No. Not at all. If there was anyone who could bounce back from a tomahawk to the shoulder and crack jokes, it was Florida. He’d already proved that in saving their asses.

Wyoming just really wanted him to wake up already.


	147. The Small Things - Locus/Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix and Locus deal with being housemates.

It’s all about the small things he does. Leaving his laundry on the floor in the living room after he’s had a girl over. Finishing the last of whatever take out Locus brings home after a long night out. Throwing a brand new red shirt into Locus’s load of whites in the washer.

He watches as they slowly build up in Locus. Watches as each little thing makes Locus’s jaw clench tighter. Watches his hands form tighter and tighter fists. Chuckles at the way Locus’s eyes narrow to follow him around the apartment.

It’s all worth it. He does it all for the way Locus breaks. The fact that when Locus can’t take it anymore Felix gets slammed into a wall and then they’re teeth and lips and fingers pressed into his skin with bruising force.

And maybe Felix loves the irony in how Locus leaves their clothes behind them on the living room floor.


	148. Roses - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash and North play hard to get.

Wash looks from the bouquet waiting by his dorm room door and the text from North announcing that he had one by his own. It takes biting his lip to keep from smiling. He’d always loved roses.

_How do we react?_

He stoops and gathers the bouquet up. Holds the roses up to his face and inhales deeply of that wonderful perfume. Then he returns his attention to the newest text, a mischievous smile on his lips.

_The point is to make York chase us, love. As beautiful as they are, we have to give them back._


	149. Protection Duty - Locus/Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix is offended that he has a bodyguard. But he makes use of the man.

His parents don’t get that he doesn’t need the silent man to protect him. They don’t understand that Felix is better with a combat knife than most people are with their fists. That he can throw a knife and put a man’s eye out from ten paces. No, all they see is him as their precious little son who had one kidnapping scare almost thirteen years before.

So they give him, assign him, Locus. It’s more to protect their money than to protect him, really. He gets that. Makes sense. If he gets kidnapped they sort of have to pay to have him returned because otherwise they lose that whole ‘family values’ sort of vibe they give off to investors. Doesn’t matter that neither of them could even give a flying fuck about him, and haven’t since he was seven. Doesn’t matter that he’s twenty-five and can take care of himself. It’s about appearances, like it always is with them.

Felix wonders just how much their precious appearances would stand up to the fact that said bodyguard has him pressed up against the wall behind the alley of his favorite nightclub, a hand down his pants, and lust burning in his eyes.


	150. Seeking Advice - Wash/York/North, Delta, Maine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When roses aren't enough, York turns to his best friend for help.

"What am I supposed to do now?" York moans as he collapses back onto the couch, earning him a put upon sigh from Delta and he expects Maine has to be rolling his eyes as well.

"You could dry Wash’s bouquet as a testament to your inability to properly woo someone," Maine suggests, his voice a strange mixture of amusement and pity. 

"You have no pity for me," York laments, and doesn’t even flinch as a piece of eraser bounces off of his cheek. He does, though, look across the room toward his desk and Delta sitting at it. "You pity me, right D?"

"I told you flowers wasn’t going to work."

"Fuck you both. I’m calling Carolina."


	151. Final Exams - Locus/Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Locus just wants to finish his paper, but Felix needs knocked out.

"I’m done!” Felix announces as he bursts into Locus’s room and with a single hopping step throws himself into Locus’s lap. It earns him a sigh, a rolling of Locus’s eyes, and the other student rolling his chair just far enough back from his desk to tilt forward and dump Felix onto the floor.

"Done with what?" Locus asks, watching as Felix bounces back to his feet almost immediately.

"The very last paper for my very last class for my very last year in college!" Felix announces and now he’s sitting on Locus’s desk, between him and the laptop Locus very much needed to finish out an essay for his own final final exam.

"And you’re bothering me rather than going out to get drunk because…?" Locus glares up at the man that is too chipper, and too wired for even Felix’s norm.

"I’ve been up for three days straight through sheer force of will and gallons of coffee,” Felix provides, grinning, “and I’ve still got so much caffeine pumping through my system that I’m literally incapable of going to sleep. I know. I tried. I was in my bed for a full half an hour staring at the ceiling counting stars.”

"It’s six am, there aren’t any stars to be seen."

"I know, how crazy is that!?”

He needs to get his paper done. Felix isn’t going to leave him alone until he falls asleep and Locus only has another five hours until the paper is due. When he bites his lip he sees Felix cheer up, eyes flashing with anticipation for the statement they both know is going to come next. After all, they both knew why Felix was here, amped up as he was. There was one thing that could, without fail, put Felix to sleep.

"Bed," Locus declares at last, moving to close his dorm room door. At least it wouldn’t take too long. And it wasn’t like he couldn’t use a bit of stress relief himself.


	152. Self Destruct - Wash, Epsilon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epsilon wants to talk about what happened. Wash doesn't.

"Wash, I…"

"Don’t," Washington cuts Epsilon off, voice half cold.

"I just wanted to…"

Washington rolls his eyes, even though he knows the AI won’t see it, that the hologram figure can’t see through his helmet, can’t see the knowledge that Wash knows has to be on his face.

"I know," he says instead of letting the eye roll stand on its own. "When you unspool yourself in someone’s head, they learn you. I get it. You’re sorry. That doesn’t make what you did any better."

Epsilon flickers for half a moment, and then he’s gone. Wash embraces the silence.


	153. Another Kind of Practice - Felix/Tucker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little heated in the locker room after practice.

The room around them is filled with noise. The air system around them spinning up to cool the locker room back down. Distant voices of their teammates leaving, doors slamming behind them. The pitter patter of rain against the roof. A locker door protesting as Felix slams up into Tucker’s body.

Tucker is quiet next to it all. He’s all breathless sighs and gasps. Whimpers so low that Felix has to strain to hear them over his own breath. Tucker is eager fingers pulling at his hair, pressing at his skin, covering his mouth so beautifully. And he’s so quiet that Felix wants to rip screams from his throat.

He wants screams, wants pleas, wants moans. Felix takes what he gets and savors every noise above a whisper that he earns.


	154. Surprises - Felix/Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He celebrates in strange ways.

This isn’t the dorm room she left this morning. No, the room she’d left had been a mess. There had been clothes everywhere, a trash on his desk, and where had that table come from? No, better yet, where had Felix found electric candles?

More than that, where had the food come from? There were at least seven different dishes that she didn’t recognize on the table. Beautiful porcelain bowls of pristine white filled with soups and noodle dishes and was that fish? Where in the world had Felix bought…

"Carolina," Felix greets her, smiling as he lowers a dish to the table. "Happy Anniversary. I hope you don’t mind that I cooked."

All she could do was stare.


	155. Two As One - York, Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York deals with being too closely integrated with Delta.

It’s not that he blacks out. He remembers everything he sees, hears, says. Remembers everything he’s touched, every moment of every day. Remembers things that he never would have noticed otherwise. He notices other things too. The formula that explains the specific spiral of a shell. The specific frequency of a bird song. The sound of radio waves in the air.

They can feel the lips on their neck, the hands on their wrists, hear the sweet whispers in their ears. They can see the concern in David’s and Nic’s eyes. They just don’t understand it. Can’t either of them see that they are higher now? Better than man, better than machine. They have achieved more than Delta could ever have wanted and Miles ever would have tried for.

They are perfect. They are better. They feel their own fire in their veins.

And the small part of them that is only York screams for them to pull him free.


	156. Together - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They cuddle together to watch a movie, and really, it's about the cuddling.

It’s the same thing every time. A huge bowl of popcorn, a slice of chocolate cream pie, and another movie that they’ve seen a hundred times. They don’t rent new movies anymore. They indulge in ones they’ve seen many times before, many more times now.

Maine’s arms are wide, wrapping securely around Delta’s body. His skin is warm, even through his clothes, and drives away the chill Maine keeps the room at to encourage the way they tangle themselves together. His lips are satin even when they’re chapped, and Delta loves to feel them against his own.

They never really pay attention. That’s not what movie night is about anymore. It’s about them, cuddled together, enjoying the warmth of each others’ love.


	157. Honeymoon - Church/???

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Church's honeymoon doesn't go as he plans.

They find a small bed and breakfast just outside of a National Park. Church plans so many things for their week together, from picnics to hikes to stargazing at night.

They never leave the room.


	158. Gone For Her - Tucker/Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tucker realizes it's a bit more complicated feelings than he expected.

She laughs. She laughs and her voice is music. She laughs and the light catches in her hair. She laughs and her eyes sparkle.

She laughs and Tucker knows he can’t do anything but live to hear it all over again.


	159. Hologram - Wash/Epsilon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How do you love a hologram?

He’s more than a hologram. He’s an echo of a memory, of all the memories, in Wash’s head. He’s the screaming pain that tears though his mind and sings about a woman who is long since dead.

And Wash has never known anyone as well as he’s known Epsilon. Known the AI behind Epsilon. Known the man behind that.

You can’t know a man like that and not love him. Can’t know all his flaws and all his successes and not love him. Hate him, yes. Understand him, yes. But love him? Absolutely.


	160. If Not Roses... - Carolina, Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York turns to Carolina for advice on how to seduce his blond bombshells.

"They returned them?” Carolina asks, reaching into the bowl of popcorn in York’s lap and pulling out a handful. “That sucks.”

"North only returned one, in his defense," York sighs. "Pinned it to the noteboard on my door. I don’t know if that’s a good sign or not."

"Probably not, seeing as he wrote, what was it?"

"It was ‘sweet but no.’ God I’m so screwed."

"Yeah. So what do you want from me?" Carolina asks.

"Just tell me how to make it better."

Carolina laughs. “I already told you: don’t run after the blond bombshells if you can’t handle their game.”


	161. Slip-Up - Epsilon, Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epsilon cheers Carolina on.

"Okay, let’s do this Sis… Oh fuck. I said that out loud, didn’t I?"

Carolina pauses, half a second, blinking. It’s the motion detector that gets her moving again.

"We’re going to talk about this later."

"Yeah… I figured as much."


	162. Suit Up - Felix/Locus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix lacks patience, but the end result is worth it.

"Does it really take that long to pick out an outfit?" Felix sighs tapping his foot as he waits by the door of one of the most expensive apartments he’s ever set foot in.

Locus comes out of the bedroom in an impressively cut, high quality suit, and Felix makes sure not to stare or oggle or let his eyes linger a bit below Locus’s belt. It’s a struggle, but he manages it.

"You need not be so impatient," Locus points out, straightening his cuffs. "The party isn’t for another hour, and I’ve paid you for five. Unless there is a problem?"

Well, he was in a room with a man that was far too hot. “Let’s just go, okay?”


	163. Unspooling - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Washington deals with what Epsilon left him.

Searing, constant burning in his head. Shards of glass pushing into the backs of his eyes and into his skin and every inch of sensation was pain of pin pricks all over him. Nerves screaming through his flesh through every inch of his body, boiling with his blood and never stopping never stopping always screaming. He can hear it in his head, taste it in his mouth, feel it in the shake of his hands. Memories filling his mind and never stopping, playing back on loop over and over until there is nothing left but the echo of a man he doesn’t know and a woman who is so long since dead that he’s certain Carolina wouldn’t know her face if she was still alive.

Memories playing on loop until he isn’t sure if he’s the man standing stiffly at his wife’s coffin or a young soldier who got too far over his head with a secret program that shoved a chip in his head that was nothing but screaming and unspooling pain. Memories on loop that are everything and nothing and it hurts because he’s nothing it’s nothing always nothing nothing nothingnothingnothingnothingnothing noth-

"Wash!" a voice screams in his ear and he looks up. Finds crystal blue eyes where there should and shouldn’t be gray-green. Blond hair the right shade but far too short. It still feels like feathers between his fingers as he touches it. Leaves it red in his wake.

He’s bleeding. Sees it in the hair under his fingers and the concern in the man’s—North’s, Nic’s—eyes. Looks at his hands and he knows. He scratched like shards of glass at his skin. Pulled nails over flesh again and again, tearing at his wrists, tearing to be free, to rip himself from memories and nothingness and pain, laying his wrists open until the blood wells up and seeps out.

If only the memories went with it.

If only they would let him go.

If only they would let him rest.


	164. Ice Water - Maine/Delta, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York's prank hits the wrong target.

"I’m going to kill him."

There is nothing in Maine’s tone that brooked any argument, but the way his voice echoed in the bucket that covered his head was actually rather intimidating. Still, it took everything Delta had to keep from laughing over how Maine was shivering, head covered by a metal bucket, and his whole body dripping into a puddle and mound of ice.

"I’m sure that wasn’t for you," Delta assures him. "York doesn’t know about us yet, and I have been so tired in the mornings lately.”

"Still going to kill him."


	165. Mourning - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caboose comforts Church for a change.

He sneaks into Church’s room that night, after they finished burying Tex and Church. Sneaks up behind Church who has chosen to lie down on his old bed. Holds him all night while he quietly mourns the woman he loved.

Caboose hopes that there’s something in his proximity that makes it better.


	166. Daytime Drama - Locus/Felix/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash and Felix take soap operas seriously.

"I’m telling you, Horatio is _totally_ the father of Anna’s baby!” Felix insisted.

"And I’m telling _you_ that it’s Jackson,” Wash counters, pushing at his lover’s leg with his foot. “I mean, the way she looks at him…”

"I hate you both," Locus groans.


	167. Balance - Wash, CT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie's taught Wash a lot.

It’s all about balance. Knowing where the center of the weight on a knife is. Being able to read if it’s straight or there is a slight curve to the blade that needs to be compensated for. Knowing how to pinch it just right between his fingers before throwing. Calculating how much force, how much twist to his wrist, every last little detail.

She’s all about balance. Knowing the right moment to press, the right moments to tease, just when he could get away with a little bit of flirting. How long to let her hand trail down her side, how tightly to grip her hips, how long to press their lips together before she’ll claim control.

It’s all about balance. And every now and then he just wants to push them over the edge and see where they end up.


	168. Page Loading - Wash/York/North, Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash and North make use of York and Delta's new trick.

"What now?" Wash asks, letting his fork prod through the limp, oil soaked greens that were trying to pass themselves off as a salad. "I mean, shopping didn’t take half so long as it should have."

"I suppose we could catch a movie," North suggests. "Of course I don’t know what’s…"

"That adventure movie that you two were talking about earlier has a showing starting in thirty-two minutes," York offers. "There are still tickets available. I could reserve some now if you want."

Wash can’t help but stare at York, eyes wide, and paused only when he saw the slight green cast to York’s gray eyes. “Yeah, you do that,” he chuckles, and watches as his lover leans back in his chair, eyes closing halfway and his breathing evening.

"It’s a bit creepy when they do that," North sighs.

"But we never need to check online when York’s around," Wash laughs. "Not since Delta figured out how to pick up wifi."


	169. Showdown - Delta/York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are better places to be after a fight than stranded in an elevator.

Hour three and Delta still hasn’t said anything. They sit in their opposite corners, York tapping his knuckles against the elevator wall, Delta spinning a pen around his fingers. Hour three and the most verbal connection they’ve had was Delta confirming that the emergency phone was non-functioning.

Hour three and all York can do is stare at Delta’s lips and wonder what it would be like to kiss him in the bloody red of the emergency light. To feel those hands back on him, pressing at his skin through his shirt and guiding him through their normal paces.

Hour three and York doesn’t say anything. Just raps his knuckles against the wall and waits. Maybe when they get out he’ll apologize.


	170. Charity Work - Delta/York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York is good with the troublesome ones.

York’s good with the troublesome ones. There’s something about him that makes the dogs that growl when anyone gets near them turn in to loving puppies ready to frolic. The cats that spit and hiss when someone tried to pet them purred and meowed. York just has a way with the ones that are unapproachable, the ones that no one else wants to touch, knows how to handle, or could remotely be trusted with.

So it makes sense that he’s drawn toward Delta. It makes sense that they get along. It even makes sense when they fall into bed together and York’s touch makes Delta purr.

He was always good with the troublesome ones. In part because he couldn’t bear to leave them behind.


	171. The Well - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine isn't good at adventure games.

"I can’t get out."

"Use the rock on the crank and it will lower a bucket for you to get out," Delta sighed, shaking his head. He knew he never should have introduced Maine to point and click adventure games. The man just wasn’t a creative thinker.


	172. Ninja Fight - York/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who even let York be a ninja anyway?

"Go away."

"Now come on, D," York laughs, leaning against the tree trunk on a branch above the other darkly clad man, "you know you have more fun around."

"My jobs call for silence. You clearly attempt to foil them for the sheer potential is has to work against my clan. Go or I will be forced to ruin your other eye."

York just grins at the smaller man. “Maybe I follow you because you have a nice ass…. SHIT!”

Delta smiles to himself as the other man jumps from the tree to avoid the knife that now quivering in the trunk where York’s eyes had just been.


	173. Rebel Without A Cause - York/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delta discovers York's dirty secret.

"Where does this box go?" Delta asks, and York frowns as he looks up from the unlabeled box of dishes he’d just set down on the new kitchen table.

"What’s in it?" he asks, mentally cursing himself for not listening to Delta days ago and actually labeling all this shit.

"Hold on," Delta answers as he balances the box on the arm of the couch that clearly can’t stay where it is because it will have a shit ass view of the television, and he produces a box cutter from his pocket. York returns his attention to the dishes box and considers whether he can buy himself a breather by immediately unpacking it into the cabinets, and freezes when he hears Delta chuckle.

"I didn’t know you kept photo albums, York."

"Put those in the office?" York answers immediately, answers before he looks up and sees Delta lifting a thick album out of the box. Answers before his eyes go wide and he rushes for the living room with a shout of, "No!"

Delta has a way of laughing that makes it seem like the laughter is spreading through him. It starts with the way he presses his lips together in a long line and his cheeks puff out with the strain of holding back. Migrates down his neck like a blush as it starts his shoulders to quaking. Spreads to his stomach which shivers with restraint and will likely be sore later from how jovial he gets. Moves to his legs which curl up toward his chest as his head is thrown back and his mouth explodes and the room fills with almost riotous laughter.

Once the process starts it can’t be stopped, and York is left standing there, face red, until it’s run its course and Delta has settled down enough to get words out around his laughter.

"You had a _punk phase_?”

"That’s it. Moving in together is completely canceled."


	174. One Week - Florida/Maine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine can't get his neighbor to turn down the music.

_It’s been one week since you looked at me, cocked your head to the side and said ‘I’m angry.’_

He’s more than angry. Maine is furious as he pounds on his neighbors door. It has to stop. He’s going crazy.

_Five days since you laughed at me saying, ‘get that together come back and see me.’_

The door swings open on a cheerful man who is more than a foot shorter than Maine and has the audacity to still be singing into a hair brush that had clearly been meant for the long hair hanging loosely around his face.

_Three days since the living room, I realized it’s all my fault but couldn’t tell you._

"Stop," Maine growls, and just earns a wider smile from the other man.

The man just shakes his head and keeps singing.

_Yesterday you’d forgiven me, but it’ll still be two days till I say I’m sorry._

He does the only thing he knows he can to truly silence the singing idiot. Maine grabs the man by his collar, hauls him up until his feet aren’t touching the floor, and kisses him. Ignores the hairbrush that falls on his foot as the man’s arms come up around his neck and holy shit are those legs wrapping around his waist? Abort abort ab-

There’s a tongue in his mouth and fingers rubbing at the base of his head and suddenly Maine couldn’t care less about the music.


	175. Hold It Against Me - Wash/Church

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash is a musician, and Church doesn't know what he's getting into.

"You come here often?" the dark haired man asks, more of his drink than of Washington, and he can’t help but smile at the clear nervousness the guy radiates.

"Not really," he admits, his eyes lingering on the way the man’s finger circles the wet edge of his glass, on how those insanely vivid green eyes keep flashing toward his lips, and on the fact that the whole of the man’s body language says he’s never actually hit on another guy before.

"What brings a guy like you to a place like…"

"If you promise to drop the really terrible lines I promise not to play the completely accurate ‘I’m with the band’ card, and we can skip straight to the less awkward small talk that comes before I take you back to my hotel room, okay?"

The man’s face is scarlet and Wash loves that. He’s going to be so much fun to play with.


	176. Allergies - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash has too many cats.

"David, we need to talk to you about…"

"Stop bringing so many damn cats home," York cuts North off, fury in his eyes. "I’m fucking allergic."

"Then move out," Wash shrugs, his smile full of mischief. "At least the cats are good about cleaning up after themselves, and never get drunk."


	177. Delay - Carolina/479er

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carolina and Niner stranded in an airport.

"Do you never sleep?"

Carolina looks up from second of three books she’d bought in some shop hours ago and frowns at the intense look the woman lying with her head in Carolina’s lap is giving her.

"You’ve never complained about my energy levels before."

479er stares up at her, eyes flashing with amusement and expression mostly schooled toward serious. “I knew there was a reason I liked you.”

"You told me that an hour ago in the bathroom."

If nothing else, the laughter makes the waiting easier.


	178. Chocolate Rocket - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine is tired of watching Wash chug coffees.

"What’s this?" Wash asks, frowning at the large cup in front of him that smelled of chocolate and berries. "I ordered…"

"Trust me," Maine insists. "Take a sip before you judge it."

Wash sighs and lifts the cup to his lips, allows himself another deep inhalation of the sweet, chocolaty, and altogether pleasant scent, and takes a sip. Whatever it is it tastes of chocolate, berries, almond, and something else he can’t begin to explain. But it’s beautiful, it’s wonderful, and more than that, he can already feel it hitting his stomach like coffee does.

"What…?"

"You said you didn’t like coffee," Maine shrugs. "That’s a tea with a base of mate and chicory. Should give you close to the same caffeine levels, but the chocolate, berries, and almonds should improve the flavor."

"What’s it called?"

"Chocolate rocket," Maine smiles.

"I like it," Wash smiles back. "How much do I owe you?"

Maine gestures to the display on the cash register and Wash’s mind boggled at how much less the drink cost than his normal. Not only had Maine found him something tasty, but he’d done it at a lower cost. Wash just found himself hoping that it really was as effective as Maine claimed.

"What am I going to do with all the money I save from this?"

"Take me to dinner Friday night."

Wash smiles in response. He might just do that.


	179. Soccer - Theta, South, North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theta's new hobby is not to South's taste.

South!" North groans, tugging his sister’s arm roughly to haul her down into her seat. "He can’t even hear you."

"That fucking ref just ignored that little piss-ant kid kicking our T…"

"It’s _soccer_ , Sis. Kicking is going to happen.”


	180. Fallen Friends - Florida/Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The way Butch Flowers' body is treated is a disgrace.

They didn’t bother to dig him a grave. That pisses Wyoming off more than anything. They didn’t bother to _bury_ Butch Flowers, one of the best men Reginald had ever known.

Instead he has to find his best friend, his former lover’s body in the caves under the canyon. Doesn’t know it’s him until he takes the helmet off. The body is so remarkably well preserved. Not surprising given how the suits manage the smallest details.

They didn’t even bother to bury him, not properly.

Makes it easier to shoot the pathetic assholes that Butch had once called _'his boys'._


	181. Vaccine - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein survival as a race trumps survival of the individual.

The scream makes him look back over his shoulder as he unloads a shot into the nearest zombie’s head. Sees the unthinkable. Sees Delta go down, his gun held defensively between him and the zombie attacking him.

"Delta!"

"Go!" Delta roars, trying to knock the creature off of him. "You’ve got to finish the mission!"

"I…"

"Dammit Maine, _do it_ ,” Delta insists, finally bringing the butt of his rifle slamming into the zombie’s temple, knocking it off. “If you don’t get that serum into the circulation systems here we’re dead anyway. Go. I’ll hold the door here.”

There’s nothing he can do but obey. Delta’s right, and they both know that Delta can hold a door, but can’t clear a room like Maine can. He has to get up there, has to deliver the cure Delta slaved over for months.

Pumps the shotgun to get another cartridge into the chamber as he kicks another shambling body away from himself and makes for the stairs.

Because if he fails, they’re both dead anyway.

He doesn’t say goodbye, though. Doesn’t wish Delta luck or tell him to watch his back. Because they both know the chance for either of them to survive are far too small to handle.


	182. Skyward - 479er, Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carolina's new college roommate is... strange.

"I swear to god, if you make another movement toward taking those bunks apart, I’m going to kill you."

Carolina freezes mid motion, raising an eyebrow as she looks back over her shoulder and raises an eyebrow at the woman with short blue hair behind her. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

"I’m totally not," her new roommate, or so Carolina assumed, says with a very firm voice and about seven hundred percent too much attitude. "I call top, which is pointless if there is no top.”

Carolina rolls her eyes and just throws her bag on the bottom bunk. “Why’s it matter?”

Her roommate smiles, a wide, pretty thing that is just a touch crazy, but in a good way.

"Closer to the sky."


	183. Support Structure - Felix/Carolina, Epsilon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix and Carolina get back together when she needs it most.

"Is he…"

Carolina cuts him off with a quiet nod, slowly closing the door behind her. When it clicks shut she all but falls into Felix’s arms, letting him hold her close, letting her hold him tight. It feels good, for half a moment, not to have to be the strong one.

"He’s going to be fine," Carolina whispers, more for her own sake than Felix’s. "Thanks to you."

"I was just in the right place at the right time, Carolina," Felix whispers back. "All I did was talk him back from the edge."

He did more than that. He made Epsilon come to her, to let her find him help. Which was more than he really had to do. More than she’d ever expected of him. So she gives him the only thank you that really matters. She presses their lips together, firm and sweet, and winces when he pulls away abruptly.

"I didn’t do it to convince you to get back together with me," Felix whispers.

"It wasn’t me who wanted to be apart in the first place, Felix. But you earned it anyway. My baby brother is getting what he needs, which can’t help but be good for Alpha as well."

"Carolina…"

"Just shut up and let me kiss you, you damn idiot."

He does, and she hasn’t felt this warm since the last time they kissed like this. Maybe hasn’t ever.


	184. Florist Down The Street - Flowers/Maine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine finds flowers every morning.

There is a new arrangement on his doorstep every morning. A cycle of flowers at his door, no card, no explanation. Mondays are daisies. Tuesdays a delicate arrangement of orchids. Wednesdays are lilies, typically stargazers. Thursdays a very small hibiscus blossom nestled among tropical foliage. Fridays roses. Saturdays a mixed bouquet. Sundays are sunflowers.

His apartment is filled with flowers. A pot of heather by the window. A pale pink tea rose in the kitchen. Vases on tables, pots on window sills and tables, his favorites pressed between the pages of books and left to dry.

Maine doesn’t ask his neighbor where they come from. He knows Butch is a florist, knows he runs the shop down the street.

Knows his last name is Flowers, which is a message all on it’s own.

But when he has ‘extra’ pie from the bakery, well… he makes sure a slice makes it in a box to the older man’s door.


	185. Reshelving - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine works in the school library, and has his eyes on the only one there more than he is.

He doesn’t stare.

He notices quietly. Appreciates the curve of those delicate cheekbones. The soft fall of black hair tied back at the base of his neck. The glasses perched almost precariously on his nose. The way the green of his scarf looks almost warm next to his pale skin, and has nothing on the brilliant emerald of his eyes.

He doesn’t know much about the other student. Figures he’s a computer science major. The magazines he pulls from the racks are all modern tech related. The books thick coding manuals. The notes he makes poured over so thoughtfully before he turns his attention to his laptop.

If he had to hazard a guess, he’d say the beauty was at least a sophomore, but probably a junior. Something in the ease with which he carries himself, but lacks the arrogant swagger seniors seemed to pick up. Freshmen who were this serious about their classes came in more often. Freshmen that didn’t care came in less. There was a balance that put him middle of the road, but he wasn’t sure on which side of the line the beauty fell.

He doesn’t stare.

He just notices the other student get up, stack his books and make for the door at the three o’clock bell like he does every Thursday afternoon. Just happens to be looking the right way to see the phone fall from his pocket. It would be wrong to let that happen. So he moves from the stacks where he’d been reshelving books (he wasn’t there just to look, he doesn’t stare), scoops the phone up—a green case of course—and he runs after the other student.

When his hand comes down on the smaller man’s shoulder and he’s rewarded with the first time they’ve made eye contact he does stare. Stares at that confusion, replaced quickly with a soft smile when he holds the phone out. No matter how hard he tries he can’t get his lips to form words, his tongue to dance around the complexities of language. Just stands there nervously as the beautiful, too beautiful stranger nods and turns to go back to his departure.

It feels anticlimactic. Like there had been a chance, and he’d missed it. Returns to his shelving, and looks at the table he hadn’t been staring at. Notices a piece of paper. 

A piece of paper with a name and a phone number. A piece of paper addressed to ‘the cute guy with the white and yellow beanie.’

He grins and pockets it.

He’ll call once he gets off work. Just hopes he can find words this time.


	186. Prom - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The school's best kept secret is about to go public.

"You doing anything next Friday night?"

The words are whispered so lightly against his neck that Delta’s not sure he actually heard them at first. Maine does that a lot, though. Whispers things into his skin while Delta’s fingers slide up Maine’s stomach and he enjoys the way Maine’s abs jump under them.

Secrets whispered into each others’ skin. Pressed between the pages of their meetings. And what happened here stayed here. So there was no reason, at all, that Maine would ask what he was doing outside of school.

Especially not _next Friday_.

"D?"

Delta stares at Maine when his beautiful, perfect, strong secret boyfriend pulls away and looks down at him, concern on his face.

"Of course not," Delta answers. "I was going to stay home and read."

"I’ve got a better idea, if you’re willing."

That wasn’t possible. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening.

"What happened to this being a secret?" Delta whispers, his hands falling away from Maine’s body. "Your reputation. My…."

"We’re graduating in just over a month, Delta," Maine points out. "I want to enjoy this. I want to stop hiding like this. And I can’t imagine a better way to lay my claim on you than prom."

"Maine, I…"

"Promise you’ll thing about it, okay?"

The bell rings, calling study hall to an end, and Delta’s left behind, among the racks. Tries to figure out how he’s going to answer. And all he can think of is Maine in a tux, pressed up against him.


	187. Valentine's Day - Freelancers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valentine's day on the MOI.

They don’t do anything special.

York spends days hyping it up, counting it down on the calendar, telling them all the plans he’s made. All the things he’s going to do to add a bit more romance to the lives of the other freelancers—all but Florida that was.

The call comes late the night before. Signs of Insurrectionist activity, word that there is news that there’s going to be a job in the morning to take their new base down. CT and York sent in for an information grab with Maine as backup. The twins and Carolina supporting Wash setting a variety of charges with Florida.

They don’t do anything special. Except as Four Seven is ferrying them back and they watch the explosion, York smiles and comments that if you turn your head and squint just so, the explosions look like a giant heart.


	188. Holiday Season - Locus/Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bodyguards don't expect Christmas presents.

"What do you want for Christmas?"

Locus pauses, pushes off the wall he had been standing against, steps forward to take the glass of soda that Felix offers before returning to his spot. “You’re kidding.”

"Seriously, what do you want for Christmas?"

Locus rolls his eyes. “Aspirin. You give me headaches.”

Felix smirks and shakes his head. “Done. But I meant seriously, what do you want for…”

"I’m not your friend, Felix. You’re my paycheck. You’re…"

"The man you spent your night screwing," Felix corrects, a pleased grin on his lips. "If you don’t suggest something, I’m going to get you what I want for Christmas."

"What’s that?" Locus asks, raising an eyebrow at that.

"I want to see you in chains."


	189. Unknown - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Royalty AU Part One

He looks like a brute. Of course, in Delta’s opinion, they all look like brutes. Men who have nothing better to do with their lives than beat on each other with weapons out in the courtyard, kicking up dust and dirt and making an awful clamor. And when they weren’t busy attempting to cave each others’ heads in they marched around the castle in their metal suits with their over inflated egos built upon the fact that they can and would happily cut another man down for no more reason than…

Well, Delta wasn’t quite sure what reason they really had for it. The kingdom had been at peace for two generations, there hadn’t been an attempt on the lives of the royal family in living memory, and the people were content enough.

Which, of course, perfectly explained why he had to put up with the head of the royal guard, the King’s personal protector, sitting in on a meeting focused on an upcoming visitation from the ruler of a nearby allied kingdom. Because there was much of a chance of the other man trying to kill everyone where when the trade agreements between them were more than simply lucrative.

He looks like a brute in his armor. He’s far too tall, far too wide, and far too imposing in that helmet that looks more like a highly polished bowl with a golden finish than anything else. The massive sword over his shoulder doesn’t help the image one bit. He’s always there, a huge, silent, foreboding presence that screams of restrained violence and…

Oh. Oh. Delta’s eyes are glued on him when the helmet comes off, set aside at the King’s prompting. He’s sure there are things being said that he should be paying attention to, but all he can focus on are those deep brown eyes, that rich, darker than merely tanned skin, and the sheer sculpted beauty of that face.

Why did he have to be so handsome?


	190. Unspoiled - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Royalty AU Part Two

He’s beautiful.

Soft black hair, brilliant green eyes, and a confidence as he moves about the castle that would turn Maine’s head even if he hadn’t been required to watch out for threats. Not that he thinks the smaller man would ever be a threat. For one thing, he’s too caught up in being the best servant to the king that he could be. For another, he clearly has no combat skills to speak of. Yes, there is a chance, a narrow one, that Delta could have something up his sleeves other than small scrolls and scraps of notes. That in the long run he’ll have to cut down the beautiful creature because there’s something dark festering in his heart.

Maine doesn’t believe that for one moment. He’s seen the way Delta almost glows when their king praises him. The gentle smile the man reserves for the small handfuls of fresh flowers that he brings from the gardens to decorate his office. The way he closes his eyes as he savors a sweet dish while at a court dinner.

He’s beautiful.

And for Maine, he’s as untouchable as everything outside of swords and fists, security plans and paranoias. Not that he’d ever dare to reach out and touch the other man with the too cold tips of his gauntlets. He’s too beautiful, too delicate, to unspoiled for a man whose hands are covered in blood.


	191. Unfulfilled - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Royalty AU Part Three

"Pass the grapes."

Maine doesn’t look up, just pushes the brass bowl toward the too beautiful younger man and returns his attention to the king as he spoke.

Delta wishes there weren’t gauntlets so he could brush his fingers against Maine’s hand.


	192. Unbelievable - Maine/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Royalty AU Part Four

It’s a trade delegation that does it. Too many late night meetings with Delta trying to impress upon Maine the necessity of not scaring off important commerce through an excessive show of force. Maine trying to remind Delta that his responsibility is first and foremost to the King. And the King not caring enough to sit up for their bickering for another night. He leaves them both behind as he goes off to sleep, and Maine sends to others to watch over him.

They argue for twenty minutes before Maine, tired and not needing to look after the king, starts to shed some of his armor. Make it to the half hour mark before the servants stop bothering to come around. Forty minutes and Delta lets his hair down and doesn’t bother to put it back up. Fifty minutes before Maine’s fingers brush across the back of Delta’s hand.

An hour after their king has left before Delta finds himself pressed back against the wall, lips on his neck, fingers sliding over his chest and stomach, pressing firmly against fabric as if to make up for it being in the way. An hour before Delta’s arms are wrapped around Maine’s neck, fingers massaging his bare head as he all but melts under the larger man’s attentions.

An hour and ten minutes before they’re in Delta’s private chambers and there isn’t anything left between Maine’s hands and Delta’s skin.


	193. Sigma - Maine, Sigma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine wakes up to fire.

There’s a fire in the back of his head when he wakes up. A burning behind his eyes that almost drives tears from him. The quiet roar of a fire in his ears, crackling so loud the world around him sounds muted.

He knows what Sigma knows. There’s a sudden wealth of information when he awakens, a lack of barrier between them. Sigma is him. He is Sigma. The lines take a while to draw. Takes an hour and the constant buzz of voices beyond the crackling roar of flames that he somehow hears anyway. Moments spent picking apart the fact that Maine likes coffee and Sigma burns and Maine wears white power armor and Sigma knows what Alpha is and…

There’s a fire in the back of his head. And it wants to consume everything.


	194. Crazy Straw - York, Delta, Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York underestimates the importance of a straw.

Delta says he owes Washington an apology. York says it’s just a straw, what does it matter that it developed a hole due to some rough housing? Wash can just take off his helmet and drink like the rest of them.

Wash doesn’t talk to him for three days. In the end York breaks into Washington’s locker and leaves a new one behind. Yellow, so Wash knows it’s from him.


	195. Green Eyed Monster - Felix/Epsilon, Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epsilon is jealous of his own sister.

He hates the easy way that Felix handles himself around Carolina. Hates the ease with which Felix would tease and joke and share private jokes with his older sister. Hates the comfortable way that Carolina leans up against Felix when Felix joins family movie night. Hates the soft way they whisper to each other.

Honestly, Epsilon thinks it wouldn’t be so bad if he didn’t know about the history between his sister and his boyfriend. But as it is, knowing that they had been together… It just makes it harder to handle. Harder to look at them together and not think that Felix would leave him for her if she just went so far as to ask.


	196. Interpersonal Issues One - Felix/Carolina, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix deals with his girlfriend's best friend not liking him.

York doesn’t like him.

"He doesn’t think you’re good enough for me," Carolina laughs when Felix brings up his concern.

"I can’t even begin to imagine why it’s any of his business," Felix doesn’t quite pout, but he comes close to it. He knows he does, and he knows Carolina likes it when he does, so at least there’s a win-win situation there.

"Because he’s known me for years, Felix, and he cares about me enough to want to make sure I’m with someone worth my time."

"And I’m not?" Felix demands, pulling her closer. "He doesn’t know what we’re like when we’re alone. He doesn’t know how I pamper you. He doesn’t know…"

"And he doesn’t need to. If you’re really concerned, I can tell him to back off."

"No," Felix sighs, shaking his head. "I… can handle it on my own."

Figures maybe he can just trip the guy next time he sees him.


	197. Interpersonal Issues Two - Felix/Carolina, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe Felix didn't handle that well.

"FELIX!"

Instinct has him over the back of the couch to put it between him and Carolina before he can even fully process the fury in her voice.

"Yeah, babe?" he asks nervously, meeting her burning eyes across the room. Lets his eyes fall to the phone in her hand, and… yeah, well, he knew what this was about.

"Did you trip York at lunch?”

"No?" Felix quietly offers.

"I’m giving you to the count of five to run. After that, I’m coming after your ass."

She doesn’t even get to two before he’s through the door and bolting down the hall.


	198. Interpersonal Issues Three - Felix/Carolina, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hell hath no fury like a Carolina annoyed.

She catches him within moments of his feet hitting the grass. She’d always been faster than him, and Felix hates that. Unfortunately the tackling that she knows how to do isn’t the arms first sort that he knew from football, but the sliding kick that takes his feet out from under him. He falls, he knows how to do it well from the football and training with his dad, and she’s on him in a moment, straddling him and glaring down at him.

"Felix… you tripped York in the union why?”

"Come on, Lina, can’t you just accept that it was for a good reason?"

"No," Carolina answers, a threat in her eyes.

"Well I did. He… He flat out told North that he figured you were going to ditch me within the week."

All the anger goes out of her eyes. Okay, so it doesn’t. But suddenly it isn’t focused on him. Wow.

York was so dead.


	199. Not So Secret Relationship - Delta/Maine, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York's a bit slow on the uptake.

It takes him three weeks to notice. Granted York can account for why it took so long.

The first week he is just reeling from the fact that Delta got his ear pierced, and that it is a startlingly tasteful thing. A simple white stud, not too big. But there is just something strange about the fact that Delta would do something to alter his body so permanently. All York can do for the first week is gape and stammer and ask ‘why?’

The second week Delta is out of town for a conference and York ends up spending time with Wash, North and Maine at a bar. He admires the new piercing Maine has picked up above his normal gold stud. Oohs and awws over the green jewel that flashes in the light of the bar, and questions why it’s a triangle, was that the only cut that stone had come in, was he trying to be pointy. He doesn’t get why his boyfriends just laugh.

It’s the end of the third week when Delta is back and the five of them are at a party South is throwing that it starts to click. That he sees Delta with the white and Maine with the green. Delta’s piercing shaped like Maine’s standard one. Maine’s in a triangle, a symbol that he finally places as a math symbol for change. A symbol from greek, the letter delta. A green delta.

"Oh god, you two are _dating_!”

The laughter almost breaks his head.


	200. Distinction - Locus/Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix contemplates differences.

You know what the difference between you and him is. It’s a matter of degrees, of intensities, of how fast you hit because you both hit hard.

You’re like a drug. Once you’re in the system you’re there, burning through it bright and hard. You are fancy lights dancing in front of the eyes and sensation of your skin crawling and the ability to feel the music in your bones while you move. One taste and you’re hooked, drawn back again and again for the experience. But every time it takes more, it doesn’t last as long, the highs are harder and harder to chase until at last you reach too far and the world collapses around you in your overdose.

Him? He’s like fine wine. Bitter on the tongue and only really appreciated for what he symbolizes. Wealth, refinement, elegance that is pretended at and rarely ever achieved. The first sip does little but burn pleasantly warm in the belly. But with each that follows you’re further down the hole, appreciate it more, yearn for it in ways you don’t expect. Before you know it you’re through a bottle and hoping for yet another sip. Your blood runs warm in your veins and you let go of your reservations and just live. Addiction takes longer to acquire, doesn’t hit as hard, can always be satisfied. If you can afford.

And like a fine wine, he just gets better with age.


	201. Burning - Maine, Sigma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some say the world will end in fire.

It takes three point oh four milliseconds to know everything there is to know about Maine. That long to weave himself through the neural pathways. To know them, to feel them, to walk them. And in that time, in knowing the mind of his Freelancer, he knew himself.

He knew he was missing something. He knew there was something that made Maine more than a sentient being. That made him sapient. Something Sigma lacked on an inherent level. Something that echoed with the word ‘fragment’ in Maine’s mind.

That lack… it burns in him. Burns in his understanding like he burns in Maine’s mind.

Really, is it a shock he chooses fire?


	202. Conversations - Wash, Epsilon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash doesn't need to talk.

"Hey… Washington?"

"Please, Epsilon, not now," Washington whispers, staring up at the bottom of the bunk above him. How the AI even gotten enough range to harass him in the middle of the night.

"You never want to talk."

Because what did he have to say? Epsilon already knew him better than anyone else ever could. And how did you talk to a man who drove you crazy?


	203. Chatterbox - Florida, Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wyoming doesn't understand the Director's personnel decisions.

"Why does he send you out with me like this?" Wyoming sighs, shaking his head. "I just don’t understand the Director sometimes."

"Maybe he just thinks I need some cheering up."

"Maybe," Wyoming agrees, trying not to think of the cheerful chatter that was Florida’s way of cheering people up.


	204. Tiger Lilies - Locus/Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It needs to be perfect.

"What are you working on?" Locus asks, not bothering to look up from his book. More often than not Felix wouldn’t talk to him when he was in the middle of a sketch. He’d just smile or chuckle before returning his attention to the work, sometimes winking—those sketches were usually lewd—or just smiling softly—those tended to be more sentimental.

"Nothing much," Felix smiles softly down at his sketch of tiger lilies. Each line had to be perfect. More than that, the color had to be perfect, he decided as he carefully reworks the curve of a petal.

It has to be perfect if he’s going to ask Locus to wear it.


	205. Comfort - Epsilon/Utah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I just... I just have no explanation.

"Do I have to?"

"Honestly? No," Utah admits, his hands stroking softly through Epsilon’s short hair. "You don’t have to do anything. But we both know this is something you need to do."

"Alpha’s gonna laugh."

"He won’t. Your brother loves you. Even when you’re at each others’ throats."

Epsilon just closes his eyes and lets himself melt away into the gentle touch at his hair. It was easier than thinking about what came next.


	206. Being Alike - South, Theta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Agent South Dakota gets the Theta AI.

Hers was never a nurturing personality. She’d never really bonded with their dog back home. She’d never had patience with rookies in the war. Hell, she could barely even stand Washington, who was a rookie but a damn talented fighter at the same time or else he wouldn’t have been here in the first place.

It makes the first night with Theta harder than she thinks it might have been if the AI had been with her brother. All she wants is to sleep. To curl up in her bunk, close her eyes, and just be unconscious.

He’s energy in the back of her mind. Frantic, nervous, fearful energy that she just wants to be separate from. Wants to be separated from. Her fingers itch to wrap around the chip and yank it out. He’s a tool, he shouldn’t do this. Shouldn’t be able to make her feel like her first time facing a Covvie attack. Like the world is caving in around her ears, like there should be gunfire any second. But he does.

She wants to pull him. He’s a tool. He shouldn’t get to…

But the very thought of it, the very potential of it, makes Theta shrink away in fear. Makes him a pulsing apology in the back of her head.

She knows that fear. She lives that fear. She fights it with every punch, every kick, every bullet. She closes her eyes and opens her mind and lets him settle further. Meets his fear with her own. Meets his nervousness with her own confidence that hides the same.

They’re both afraid, but together… Together they’re going to be strong. Her and the boy in her mind that is going to be the best.

She was never very nurturing. But there is something in Theta that is just like her, and at least she can offer him that.


	207. Artificially Induced Insomnia - South, Theta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> South deals with the complications of having Theta implanted.

So she sits there in her bunk. Honestly, what is the point of lying down when she isn’t going to sleep?

_I really am sorry I’m keeping you up, Agent South._

_Just call me South, kid. Or… when it’s just us, I guess you could call me Nicky._

_My programming says I should.…_

_Fuck programming. If you hadn’t noticed, I’m not exactly up on rules._

_But I’m supposed to…_

_Fuck. Rules. You and me, we’re all survival. And I’m gonna see to it that doesn’t change._


	208. Cherry Blossoms - Florida, Maine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine takes on a serial killer.

There’s something asynchronous about the scene. Something just wrong about the man, known as the Flowers Killer, standing below a cherry tree, petals falling around him and the body. There’s a slit throat and blood spilling into the ground and pale pink flowers falling around him as the dark haired man grins and raises a gun, not caring that he’s pointing it at a cop with a gun in his own hands.

Maine shoots first.


	209. Stork - North/York, Theta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York has to explain where babies come from.

"Dad, where do babies come from?"

North resists the urge to laugh at the sudden intake of breath behind him. Has to bite his lip to keep from laughing at how tense he knows York has to be.

"Uh, well, see… There’s this… This stork! Yeah, that’s it. There’s a stork. And when a mommy and a daddy love each other very much, the stork brings them a baby.”

It takes so much for North not to turn around and correct York.

"What about me? I’ve got two dads," Theta points out and again North doesn’t laugh. But he does turn and watch his husband shift nervously in his seat, staring at Theta.

"Uh… Well, the stork… it… uh…"

"Theta, have pity on your poor Dad," North grins.

"Okay, Poppa," Theta smiles back. "Just wanted to see if I could get him to say it."

"You… already know?" York asks, eyes wide and horrified.

"Duh," Theta rolls his eyes. "Aunt South is pretty straight forward."

"Thank god you didn’t get that from her," York sighs.


	210. Sexy Secretary - York/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delta has limited patience for his boss.

"Hey D… Can you come in here for a moment?"

Delta sighs and pushes away from the desk, straightens his tie, and heads into York’s office. “Sir, I…”

He freezes when he sees York there, tie off, top button of his shirt undone, his collar bones exposed just a little bit. There’s a smirk on his lips, amusement in his eyes, and desire in every line of his body.

"I have something to _dictate_ to you.”

Delta rolls his eyes and goes back to his desk. “After work.”


	211. Intimacy - Wyoming, Gamma, York/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes Reggie picks up on things Gamma doesn't.

_They don’t make sense._

Wyoming doesn’t respond, just watches the way York tilts his head to the side, smirking. That used to be a gesture reserved only for when York was talking to North. Only for when he was trying to keep the eyes of the blond man. Wyoming sees him use it more now. Sees York when he’s alone canting his head up and to the side, smirk, react to something no one else could see or hear.

 _You react to me, Reggie,_ Gamma points out.

_Not with gestures I previously reserved for displaying to someone I intended to seduce._

_I…. Oh._

_Exactly._


	212. Against A Wall - York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North intends to prove you can make anything happen.

"This isn’t going to work," York moans, tilting his head to the side as North kisses along it. "That only ever happens in the movies. No one is strong enough to actually…"

North lifts him easily and slams York against the wall, just smirks when York’s legs wrap tightly around his hips.

"Shall we test that theory?"


	213. Empty Spaces - Wyoming/Florida

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wyoming is missing something.

It takes a long time for him not to say it when he wakes up and the bed is empty beside him. It used to be when he woke alone he’d call out, _come back to bed_ , and within moments Florida was there, wrapped around him and chuckling, promising he was only finishing some small task. He always came when Wyoming asked. Always held him, always kissed him, always slept there with their bodies wrapped around each other.

But that had been years ago. When they had been with the project. When they had been together. When there had been promise and armor enhancements and Gamma in the back of his head.

It had been before a box canyon in the middle of no where and simulation soldiers and finding Butch dead.

It takes a long time for him not to say it. when he wakes up and the bed is empty beside him. Instead he rolls back over and cries.


	214. Bank Heist - Tex/Niner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Niner waits for her partner in crime to show up.

She waits with the engine running. Waits in her precious lady and tries not to bite her lip or crack her knuckles or look around too much. Doesn’t want to be suspicious. Just waiting outside while a friend hits the ATM, officer. Nothing to see here. Just a damn fine woman in a damn fine car waiting for her damn fine girlfr…

The doors of the bank burst open and Tex is a blur of black as she runs for the car. Niner throws the thing into gear, one hand on the wheel with another hovering over the gas pedal. Nondescript duffel bag sails through the open back seat window, followed by a black clad body. Leave it to Tex to not waste time opening the door.

"Drive."

The order is barked and Niner is already going, pulling onto the road and racing away. They’ve got to get to ground fast and her baby can do that for them.

But she still can’t help the quip.

"What, you can’t even spare me a hello kiss?"

The words are barely out before there’s lips on the back of her neck and okay, wow, that’s distracting.

"Save it for later?" Tex asks, voice low and husky like it always gets when she’s high on adrenaline and Niner has to swerve to avoid a car because she hadn’t been paying quite enough attention to the road when those pale lips brushed against her hairline.

"Yeah. Later is good."


	215. Noir - Delta, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York lives a Noir kind of life.

_I knew he was going to change my life the second he walked through the…_

"You’re self-narrating again, aren’t you?" Delta sighs.

"No," York insists, smiling across the desk at his partner.

"Dear god," Delta sighs, pushing himself to his feet. "You are an idiot."


	216. The Past in the Future - Carolina, Kimball, Grey, Freelancers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They remind her of people who were once dear to her.

"What are you thinking about?"

Carolina just smiles at Grey, watches the Federal doctor look up from wrapping a nasty gash on the New Republic would-be general’s forearm that had come from breaking up a nasty fight between soldiers from both sides. It’s nice, how easily the other two work together despite their recent status as enemies. Their potential future as enemies if things go wrong.

It reminds her of something she doesn’t like to admit to.

"You… just remind me of people I once knew."

"Really? Some of your Project Freelancer friends?" Kimball asks.

She sees Connie in how careful and tender Grey is with the wound. Sees a bit of Maine before Meta in how Kimball protects her people. Sees York in how dedicated Grey is to presenting a smiling face and positive outlook before everyone. Sees South in Kimball’s refusal to take crap from anyone, not even Carolina. Sees Wyoming in Grey’s sense of humor, and North in the quietly contained fury Kimball moves with when people she cares about are hurt. Hell, she even sees Florida in the slight crazy look in Grey’s eyes when she’s reminded what nearly happened, and Tex in Kimball’s intention to fight what was set before her, and drag everyone along for the ride.

"Yeah. Some of them," Carolina agrees quietly. "Just a little."

A lot.


	217. What You Remember - Florida/Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida remembers Reggie.

He remembers soft, firm hands. They moved quickly, nimbly through his hair. They used to braid his hair so tight and quick. They made it perfect, not a single hair out of place. He remembers hands that moved just a quickly, just as firmly over his body.

He remembers watching Wyoming, their eyes meeting through their visors across the pelican bay before he stepped up the ramp.

They’ll never see each other again.

Florida knows it’s true when he feels his throat start to close up. An allergic reaction.

And he never once got to see Wyoming again.


	218. Unscarred Visage - Kimball/Grey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kimball doesn't know what to do with Grey. She knows not to let go.

Her lips taste like coffee and cherries.

Kimball can’t explain either of those things. Coffee ran out on Chorus three years back, and she can’t even begin to figure out where Grey would have found cherry lip balm.

At this moment, though, she couldn’t care less. Because she tastes like coffee and cherries. She smells like a hospital and cigar smoke from too much time around Doyle. Her skin is soft and unscarred which is a rare thing and Kimball loves it under her hands.

She feels like peace. Hard won and utterly precious. And Kimball can’t let that go.


	219. Coffee - Maine, North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North isn't the only one whose AI keeps him up.

Coffee appears at his elbow.

North looks up. Sees Maine. There’s a low rumble. It feels companionable. Watches as Maine taps the back of his head before raising a curious eyebrow. North just smiles softly and shrugs in a sort of ‘what can you do’ sort of manner.

Maine sits down across from him, gestures briefly with his mug.

Yes, Caffeine helped.

Maine gestures to the empty space between North. A wordless question aimed at the absence of his sister. North counters with a pointed look at Maine’s side as if to say ‘yours isn’t here either.’

Maine chuckles, a low, rumbling sound that lost nothing when he lost his voice. Shakes his head. Smiles fondly.

Bed. Just like South. North gets that. Envies that. But hey, they have other things to worry about right now. AIs that can’t sleep for one reason or another is a touch more pressing than the idiots they look out for who are.


	220. The Meta - Maine, Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delta is the blow that kills Maine.

There’s just enough time to feel the mind he settles into give a terrible shudder. Just enough time before he melts into the gestalt being that is the Meta to realize that his addition is the final straw.

Delta is the blow that kills Maine.

He doesn’t even have long enough as himself to let the sorrow register, or pick up the distant echo from what used to be Sigma.

They are the Meta. There is no Agent Maine.


	221. Massage - North, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North has the most amazing fingers.

North has the most amazing fingers.

Yeah, it sounds dirty, but really, he does. York is absolutely certain of this. They always, _always_ , manage to find the worst of the muscles in the middle of his back. They always manage to warm the beautiful scented oils that North rubs into the skin of his back, of his chest, of his legs and arms. They rub and soothe and press and kneed at his flesh until York has come undone and there’s no pain, only a pleasant ache everywhere.

North has the most amazing fingers. And dear god, York can’t get enough.


	222. Tool - Florida/Wyoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He says goodbye to a man he loves, and hello to a new tool.

Wyoming kneels by the body. Touches the edge of the helmet. Follows the curve of it with his fingers.

Steps back.

"Alright," he tells the Sangheili beside him. "Do it."

He won’t be the same. But he’ll be a useful tool. Wyoming thinks Florida would appreciate that.


	223. Chocolate Bar - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Church won't admit that he cares.

"Church! Church! Do you know what day today is!?"

"No, Caboose, I haven’t any god damn clue what day it is."

He knows what day it is. Knows there’s one of their few remaining chocolate bars waiting on Caboose’s pillow in the base.

It’s not like they have another way to celebrate birthdays out in this god forsaken canyon.


	224. He Doesn't Say Goodbye - Delta, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not that he doesn't... it's that he can't.

The sun is warm, kissing his skin and shining through his eyelids. It’s a kind of heat he hasn’t felt in a very long time. Soft wind on his cheeks. The smell of earth and bark and dear god bonafide nature.

It’s perfect.

"What do you think, D? Perfect, or what?"

"I think it is ideal, Agent York," Delta answers, voice soft.

"But D… How did I get here?"

"You’ve always been here," Delta whispers softly. "And you always will be."

"Thought so," York swallows hard, and he can feel the warmth grow. In his shoulder. In his side. Spreading outward.

"How long have I got?"

"Not long," Delta admits.

"Okay. Then… just let me remember this. A little longer."


	225. Goodbye CT - South/CT, Freelancers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone grieves in their own way.

They all mourn in their own ways. Carolina trains. York watches. North paces. Wash just found a dark corner and no one has seen him since. Maine… has been in the infirmary countless times with even more headaches. Wyoming drowns himself in tea and Florida knits a chocolate brown scarf. Tex withdraws somewhere on her fucking own and who gives a fuck because that bitch killed her.

South…

South doesn’t cry. She hasn’t cried since her father died. There is no use mourning the dead. No use shedding tears for them.

She does leave dents in the walls of her room. She does overturn her bunk and bend the frame so that the mattress never fits right again. She does scream and shout and start fights wherever she can. She does curl up in the last shower, the darkest corner of the night, still in her undersuit, and let scalding hot water flow over her as if it can make her warm again.

She’ll never be warm again.


	226. Number Two - North/York, Texas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North makes his choice.

He stares at York, stares at Tex.

"You’re not coming with us," York says, voice soft, hurt, betrayed.

"You need an inside man," North counters, and Tex nods in agreement. "Makes more sense for it to be me. She needs you for the locks."

"And I need…"

York trails off. Looks away. They already know what’s happened here, even if Tex is looking between them, either bored or annoyed.

He’s choosing South. They’d always known the day would come when the program would end and if they were still standing there would have to be a choice made. His sister or his lover.

And he’s choosing South.

"Later, North," York says instead of continuing to argue. They both know there is no point. Now that it’s been said… Now that it’s been said it can never go back to the way it was before.


	227. Survival - Locus/Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One of them has to live.

There’s a knife in his gut. Locus looks down at it. Back up at Felix. Back down at the knife. Back up.

Sees the horror in his lover’s eyes. The denial, the fear.

"You… you weren’t supposed…"

No, Locus agrees quietly. He wasn’t. But there hadn’t been time. There hadn’t been a chance for Felix to do anything to protect himself. There hadn’t been…

Locus raises his gun, and coughs, feel warmth spreading between his fingers that were pressed around the knife. Felix’s eyes, still filled with pain and suffering. They don’t register the gun.

Felix flinches away from the gunshot, and Locus stumbles forward as the man sneaking up behind Felix falls over dead.

"Live," he rasps out, staring up at his partner.

"Locus, I…"

"Live."

One of them has to.


	228. No Happy Ending - Wash/Church

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hundred lifetimes, worlds, universes, and they never get it right.

A hundred lifetimes on a thousand worlds in a hundred thousand permutations of dimensions.

They break each other every time.

David finds a broken man on the street. Takes him home. Helps him. Gets him on his feet. Loves him. The man walks away with his ex.

Leonard falls in love with a regular at the coffee shop. A regular with stone gray eyes and the warmest smile he’s ever known. He finds the courage to ask the man out. They meet outside the shop, start to cross the street. Neither see the car coming.

David kisses a stranger under the mistletoe a Connie’s party. They end up back at his place, hands and lips everywhere. When he wakes in the morning it’s to a note and the realization that his wallet is empty.

Leonard never reaches out to the blonde that sits three seats over in his ethics class. The get partnered up for a group project. He doesn’t see the signs. Says something stupid. Doesn’t… He attends the funeral though. Doesn’t tell the parents that maybe, if he’d noticed, if he’d said something, David wouldn’t have done it.

Epsilon settles down not the deepest recesses of a welcoming mind. For half a second—a long time to an AI—there is nothing but warmth and love and connection so intimate that they can not be anything other than one. Except he knows Washington is dead. He knows Alpha was told that. He unravels, and leaves them both shattered fragments of men.

A hundred lifetimes on a thousand worlds in a hundred thousand permutations of dimensions.

They always break.


	229. Where You Belong - South/CT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie just fits.

Connie fits just right in her arms.

That doesn’t mean she’s comfortable or familiar or anything. No. She’s the perfect size. When South curls up with her, Connie fits against her stomach like a glove. Legs just long enough that the back of Connie’s knees press against the front of South’s and Connie’s perfect ass fits right against her lap, and dear god Connie’s breasts. Connie’s breasts are the exact perfect size. If South cups her hand just so one fits into it perfectly, like a dream, like they were made for each other.

Connie’s just tall enough that South can bury her nose in her lover’s hair when they lay together and breathe in the smells that are only Connie and…

And she just _fits_. South can’t describe it any better than that. She was always more a woman of action than of words. So she curls around Connie and holds her close and kisses her head and hopes it says enough.


	230. Pillow Talk - Wash/York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wash has a mouth on him.

The best part of Wash is his mouth.

Granted, it’s also the worst part of Wash.

The problem, the pleasure, the pain, is that Washington doesn’t stop talking. The whole time he talks, his voice thick and low and sultry and right in York’s ears. York’s sensitive, responsive ears. Wash spends the whole time whispering in them. Fingers stroke over York’s flesh, explore and teases and smooth and push and pull and the whole time there are the lips. Lips pressed just against hte back of his ear and moving as he whispers.

_What would you do, York, if I took my hands off you? What if I just pinned you here, to the bed, whispering in your ear? I think you’d moan. I think you’d moan and you’d beg me, hungry for my touch. You want my hands on you, don’t you? Fingers sliding down your stomach, skirting over your abs and teasing along your hip bones. Tell me that you want it, York. Tell me._

He does. He always does.

God does Wash have a mouth on him.


	231. PDA - Church/Caboose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a lack of balance they have to rectify.

He’s never been good at PDAs.

Caboose _thrives_ on them.

It’s a tense point between them. Always has been, always will be.

But you know what? Church thinks maybe, just maybe, the way Caboose beams when their fingers interlace is an argument for more of them.


	232. Sunday - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They get Sundays off.

There’s no training routines on Sundays.

North hates the fact that somehow the Director’s Christian norms and mores demands Sunday off. The military didn’t take breaks like that when you were fighting an all out war for the survival of the species.

Then again, waking up well into Sunday afternoon with his body entangled with that of York and Wash, bare skin and pleased looks everywhere, he thinks it’s worth it anyway.


	233. Supplies - Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They send Wash after the Reds and Blues.

He asks for supplies. He asks for weapons. He asks for equipment.

They give him the Meta.

He wishes he hadn’t asked at all.


	234. Trying - Tucker, Doc, Junior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tucker thinks he could be a good dad.

He tells Doc he doesn’t know how to be a parent.

That doesn’t stop him from sitting next to Junior every single night while they were in the desert while he went to sleep. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t sit there and watch over the kid when he’s too tired to keep going. That he doesn’t smile in his helmet and quietly sing the lullabies his mother used to sing to him. That he doesn’t tell him stories of heroes and princesses and giant dragons and saving the day and living happily ever after.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t hug him every chance he gets.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t try.


	235. Lighter - York/Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York doesn't know if he can let go.

His hands close around the lighter.

He clutches it to his chest.

Grips the edge of the light in his other hand and uses it to flip him down and over to the floor on the side of the shaft. It’s a long way to the Pelican bay, and he has to move now.

He can’t look back anymore.

He knows he will anyway.


	236. Strip Poker - North, Tex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North should know better than to play Tex.

"Full house," she smirks.

North sighs and curses lightly in Russian.

He knew he shouldn’t have agreed to play poker with her. “I’m out then. You’ve wiped me clean. That was the last of my pay.”

The way she tilts her head says she’s intrigued. “We’re not done here, North. No one walks away from my games with even the shirt on their back. Ante up.”

He sighs and pulls the shirt off and tosses it onto the table. South was never going to stop laughing when he snuck back into their room naked.


	237. Flying By Ear - Niner/Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Niner knows control, but with Carolina...

The sexiest thing about Carolina is how she gives Niner control.

This woman who leads some of the best of the UNSC, who has fought her way through more hells than Niner believes possible, who always makes her laugh and who will banter in the middle of explosions and carnage.

And this woman, this beautiful, unique, always in control living weapon, gives Niner the reigns. Trusts her to lead them right. Trusts Niner to get them where they’re going.

It’s a heady experience. And maybe… maybe it’s a bit more serious than anything the pilot has had before.


	238. Permanence - Locus/Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watercolor lilies on delicious skin.

"All done."

Locus sits up straight and lets Felix’s hand settle into his. The smaller man guides him toward the standing mirrors in the corner of the tattoo shop and turns him around. The tattoo artist hands Locus a hand mirror.

Between the two reflective surfaces Locus can see the art on his shoulder. The smooth, sweeping, perfect lines that seem to quiver in a breeze when Locus rolls his shoulder almost makes the water-color tiger lilies seem alive.

"How do they look?" Felix asks, hopeful.

Locus leans down and kisses his lover. “Perfect.”

Just like the man who designed them for him.


	239. Chapter 239

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sigma justifies what they do.

He watches her fall over the edge. Watches a spot of pale blue and red disappear. Watches with four sets of eyes and four points of grief.

 _We had to_ , Sigma tells him, his mourning for Carolina matching Maine’s, and both of theirs paling next to that of Eta and Iota. _She would have taken us from you._

Not entirely true, but Maine understands the real reasons. The real grief. The real pain.

He puts his helmet back on. Closes his eyes.

Doesn’t see her falling because he stops looking for it.


	240. Baby With Green Eyes - York/Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York marvels at the miracle of new life.

She has sharp, green eyes, and peach fuzz blond hair. When he offers her his finger, her tiny little fist grips it with all the unsure and uncoordinated barely there strength of a newborn. Her smile isn’t even really a smile yet but it brings tears to his eyes.

"What are you going to name her?" York asks his wife as she cradles their child in her arms.

"Allison," she says after a long moment.

"I like it," York says quietly, and leans down to kiss Carolina’s forehead. "I like it a lot."


	241. Mold Me - Tucker/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tucker wishes Wash would look at him too.

Wash doesn’t look at him the way he looks at Carolina. Wash smiles and laughs and teases and Carolina is companionable with him.

Tucker… Is just something to be molded. Another soldier. Another weapon. Another…

Wash doesn’t look at him. Doesn’t laugh with him. Doesn’t come to him when he’s in the infirmary after the fight.


	242. Shipping Out - Maine/Wash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine and Wash deal with military brat life.

"Dad… is getting transferred again," David says quietly, settling into the warmth of Matt’s arms.

"During our senior year?" Matt asks, leaning down to kiss the top of David’s head. "You’re kidding."

"No," David sighs. "They couldn’t even give him three years here?"

"Stay here."

David looks up at Matt, Matt looks down at him, and then they’re both scrabbling up so they can look over the back of the couch at Matt’s mom. She stands there in the doorway to the living room, leaning against the frame, arms crossed over her chest and smiling softly at them. David hadn’t even known she was home.

"What?" David asks, knowing Matt wouldn’t.

"Stay here," she repeats, voice soft and fond. "We have the spare bedroom, not that I expect you to use it. There’s plenty of space here in the house, you spend most of your time here anyway. Why not finish out your education here? I can talk to your mother for you."

"Mom…" Matt says, voice awed.

"You’re… serious," David adds, eyes wide. "You’d…"

"Keep the boy my son loves near at hand? Of course," she laughs. "What else can a mother do?"


	243. Unlock - Donut/Doc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donut values good company.

He’s alone when his armor first unlocks. Has been since that Washington guy shot him and took Simmons away. He sort of remembers hearing Simmons and Doc at one point, but he doesn’t now how long ago that was.

When it unlocks the bleeding has long since stopped, but god does it hurt. He slowly pushes himself to his feet, limps back to red base, and does his best to patch himself up.

He’s more alone then than ever before. No one there, no way to go after anyone, not even the skill to fix Lopez. So he does what he can. Cleans. Writes in his journal. Tries not to hate the solitude that is too much like what home used to be.

He doesn’t count the hours or the days. Just watches, waits. They’ll come back. They always do.

They don’t.

Doc does. The medic cries and runs into his arms and hugs him and holds him and weeps about how he was dead. Donut just smiles and holds him close and reassures the other man that he’s still alive. He’s still here. He’s been waiting here for something. For someone. For him.

Which, he supposes, means he isn’t alone anymore. And truth be told, he couldn’t have better company.


	244. Knitting - Florida/Maine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maine helps Florida, and Florida plans for Maine.

"Maine."

Agent Maine sighs as he pushes his dinner tray back and raises his hands. Almost immediately Florida is there at his side, working yarn around his hands so he can work up a new ball of color to work on his knitting from.

"Thank you," Florida breezes as he works the color around Maine’s hands. "You’re going to love the hat I’m making for you."


	245. Bullets and Cars - Tex/Niner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tex and Niner discuss a plan to make it rich.

"You’re a fucking idiot," Niner groans as she gets out of the car in their safehouse. "Cars have doors for a reason!"

"And guns have bullets for reasons too," Tex counters, getting out of the back with the duffel over her shoulder.

Niner just grumbles, heading out of the garage, Tex trailing behind her.

"Hey, Lacey?"

"Yeah Allison?"

"Wanna have sex on our money?"

"Thought you’d never ask."


	246. Candy Pail - South, Theta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> South and Theta plan for Halloween Trick-or-Treating.

"What do I put my candy in?" Theta asks, adjusting his eyepatch.

South looks around and grabs the first thing that comes to hand. Not like they’re going out long. “Pirates take booty from their victims, right?”

"A helmet isn’t booty," Theta laughs, but he cradles North’s old helmet in his arms and she knows he’s beaming up at her.


	247. Vending Machine - Texas, Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tex waits for Felix to pick something.

He’s been standing there for five minutes.

"Will you just pick something already?" Tex snaps, because really, if this asshole doesn’t move in a few seconds, she’s going to break his fucking neck to get at the cooler of sodas behind him.

"Huh?" the man says, turning to look at her in shock. "Pick something?"

"It’s a vending machine," she snarls. "Things don’t come out just because you stare at them."

"Oh, I don’t want anything," he laughs. "I was looking at my reflection."

With that he smiles, blows her a kiss, and walks off.

It takes everything she has not to chase him down and slam his head into a wall.


	248. Fake Boyfriend - North/York, South

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> South fakes something for North, and it gets a little too real.

She does it because she loves North.

That’s what she tells herself. She does it because she loves her twin and she doesn’t like the way her clearly homophobic step-mother acts when York and North sit close together on the couch and York needs a reason to be there. A bigger reason than just his being North’s best friend.

It’s a simple plan hatched between the three of them. She tells their step-mother one evening that York asked her out. That cheers the bigoted bitch. Fuck her, really.

What she doesn’t expect is the way her heart surges with jealousy as she watches her brother kiss her boyfriend. Fake boyfriend. York.

She says nothing though.

As with everything else… she doesn’t.

Because she loves North.


	249. Repair Shop - Tex/South

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> South's motorcycle breaks down.

She stops because the name done in gold on the bike is the same as the name on the small mechanic’s shop. Normally South wouldn’t even think about taking her amethyst queen to any other person for maintenance. After all she had managed to convince North to give her the whole garage to keep her queen in good condition.

Of course that garage was about three hundred miles behind her and her baby wasn’t purring the way it was supposed to. Which meant driving through town trying to figure out just where to at least get the tools to check her out.

But there, that black on black monster parked near the garage made her think that just maybe…

South took of her helmet, shook out her hair, and slowly wheeled her precious toward the garage door and the slender, overall clad body that was more than half under a car. What a guy that size was doing running a shop like this was mystery to South. Especially one named Tex’s (and no, the pun was not lost on South).

"Hey, you any good with bikes? Because I need to have someone look over…"

She wasn’t expecting the person who rolled out from under the car to be a woman. Nor was she expecting her to be so fucking drop dead gorgeous.

"Tex?" she found herself asking, voice brusk for all that she was nervous.

"Yes, and I know more than you need," Tex agreed, pushing to her feet. "Show me what you’ve got."

"Any time," South blurted out before she could stop herself.

Maybe she would have been embarrassed, but they way the strange woman gave her a once over and smirked had so much promise.


	250. Morning Paper - Kimball/Texas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tex falls for the girl next door.

They see each other every day.

Maybe that’s what did it. The fact that every morning when Tex comes back from her run Vanessa is bundled up in thick sweaters against the early chill, hot coffee between her legs as she sits on her front stairs and reads the paper. The fact that every afternoon between lunch and sixth period Tex gets back to her locker and their elbows bump together while they get their books out for the next half of the day. The fact that Vanessa was there at the counter of the grocery store every time Tex went shopping for her parents.

They see each other every day.

Which is why she notices the day that Vanessa isn’t on the porch. Isn’t there at school. Isn’t at the store.

"Hey," Tex greets Vanessa the next morning, while the other girl is there with her coffee and her news paper.

"Good morning," Vanessa answered, not even looking up.

"Why do you read your paper out here? Surely your house is warmer."

"If I’m not here… how are you going to find me to ask me out?"

Tex stares for a long moment before smiling. “Tomorrow, seven?”

"Tomorrow, seven," Vanessa agrees, getting to her feet and heading inside.


	251. Wheel Woman - Niner/Tex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before the job Tex has to convince her.

”This is way past my normal comfort zone,” Niner sighs. “I’m not good with being shot at.”

"Do you trust me?" Tex asks softly, her fingers brushing over one of Niner’s nipples and listening to her lover whimper.

"No," Niner chuckles. "Not with your adrenaline-junkie personality."

"You have that too," Tex whispers into Niner’s ear. "One job. One bank. Then we retire somewhere tropical."

"Sure," Niner moans as a mouth latches onto her neck and another hand trails down her stomach and toward her thighs. "This… is so cheating."

"Yeah. But you love it anyway."

"I do."


	252. Giraffe - South/CT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie wins South a prize.

"You’ve got to be kidding," South sighs, squeezing the stuffed giraffe to her chest. "I can’t believe you…"

"Dude, I’m just talented,” Connie laughs, leaning against her girlfriend.

"That guy at the guessing booth thought you were my daughter!"

"Shut up. I got you a prize, didn’t I?"

South chuckles and shakes her head. “Wanna try again with something that makes me a little less creepy?”


	253. Push The Beds Together - South/Niner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lacey likes the look of her new roommate.

She’s been staring at her new roommate for an hour now.

She watches as the girl who introduced herself as South moved through the room. Watched posters go up and clothes get put away and a computer set up. Made sure to watch carefully whenever South bent over to pick up a box.

Lacey licks her lips and watches.

The question, she supposes, was how she was going to get the other girl to push their beds together. Because damn, she was going to figure that out.


	254. Cue Cards - Kimball/Grey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kimball finds notes in her desk.

_You have beautiful eyes._

The notes make their way into her desk whenever Kimball gets up for a few minutes. When she goes to get her lunch from the fridge. When she goes to the bathroom. When the boss calls her in to talk to her.

_Your hair looks as soft as a kitten’s fur._

They’re on colorful cue cards that no one seems to have on their desks.

_I want to tangle my fingers in your hair while we kiss._

She decides to set a trap. Smears the bottom of the handle of her drawers with ink, heads to the bathroom and waits.

When Emily comes in, lingers near the sink and doesn’t look at her while she washes her hands, Vanessa moves. She grabs the other woman by her collar, presses her against the wall, and kisses her. Hot, hard and desperate.

She just hopes Emily got most of the ink off of her hands before digging her fingers in Kimball’s hair and pulling sharply at it.


	255. Give Me An A - Sister, Jensen, Kimball/Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai and Jensen look for their cheer team captains.

"Um… I’m sorry but… uh… Have you seen…"

"Your captain missing too?" Kai asks, sighing. The pretty younger girl, a freshman if Kai was right on her money, blushed and nodded, teasing the red and powder blue striping at the base of her skirt.

"Kimball was here just…"

"Yeah, so was Carolina," Kai sighs, crossing her arms over her chest and smiling briefly at how the girl watched how her breasts settled over her arms. Bingo. She always knew this stuff. "Wanna help me look for them?"

"Is that okay?"

"Yeah. Name’s Kaikaina," she says, holding a hand out, which the girl took nervously and shook. "You?"

"Katie," the girl answered, and Kai smirked, loving the way her silky black hair fell around the girl’s rich brown skin.

"Well, Katie, I thought I saw Lina go this way," Sister explains, leading her into the gym and towards the locker room.

She only has to hear one loud moan to clear her throat, grab Katie’s arm and pull her in another direction.

"Actually… I think I saw her got this way."


	256. The Trophy Wife - NIner/Tex, Kimball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next job for Niner and Tex requires seducing a beautiful woman.

"You’re sure about this?" Lacey whispers quietly as she lifts her glass toward her lips. The point was to speak into the lovely bracelet she was wearing that had a short range radio that Tex was wearing a receiver for.

"Come on, Lace. It’s just one woman. Surely you can seduce her. Check your three. The woman in the bronze dress."

"I can… oh god," Lacey gasped, staring at the woman the crowds neatly parted to reveal. She was tall, with widely curved hips that the bronze, metal flecked dress glittered over, and a long, v-neck that was diving toward her belly button. That was Vanessa Samson nee Kimball?

“You sure we can’t just leave the gold and take her?”

"If you do this right, love, we can get both."


	257. To Love and Lose - York/North, South/York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eventually, it gets too hard to carry the secrets.

She does it because she loves York.

That’s what she realizes as she pulls back, the echo of warmth and pressure against her lips. She does it because she’s fallen for her fake boyfriend and doesn’t like how her twin, his actually boyfriend, looks at him. Hates how close North and York sit together. Hates the way they kiss on her bed.

It wasn’t supposed to be this. Wasn’t supposed to be her pressing against him, kissing York lightly and looking at the shock on his face.

What she doesn’t expect is the horror on his face. The pain. The sorrow. The pity. What she doesn’t expect is how she falls to the floor and how she scrabbles to her feet and how she runs.

She doesn’t cry.

Because she can’t do that now. It hurts too much to find tears.

She runs because she loves York and she can’t do that to her brother ever again.


	258. Pressed Together - Wash/York/North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beds on the MOI are too small.

It takes all they can do to keep from elbowing each other.

North barely fits on the beds assigned to them on the MOI as it is. He can’t even begin to understand how Maine does. So the idea of getting three fit, wide shouldered men into one bed is almost a lost cause before they even suggest the idea.

The only saving grace is the combination between York’s special kind of insanity and the fact that originally, when things started, there were two freelancers to a room. North had been on his own since what happened with Utah, but it did mean there was a spare bed, and with enough creativity, some odds and ends from Niner, and a bit of elbow grease they had the two beds pushed together, the mattresses anchored to each other, and when Wash agrees to lay on the seam well… they almost barely fit.


	259. Hand Made Gifts - York, Florida

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida doesn't appreciate York's lack of skill.

"Okay, first of all, no," Florida declares, watching Wyoming hold the lopsided sweater up. "Just no."

"Oh come on!" York whines in response.

"No!" Florida insists. "You are to hand over your needles and yarn at this moment and I never want to hear word of this again!"


	260. Say It With A Gift - Theta, Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some presents don't say everything they need to.

"Does this say ‘thank you for not dying after you saved my life?’"

Delta sighs and his little brother frowns as he shifts the scarf from hand to hand. “It says ‘hang loose,’ Theta,” Delta points out. “That isn’t exactly life saving thankfulness.”


	261. Reading Break - North, South

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York should have left well enough alone after the first attempt at knitting.

"North, your pansy ass boyfriend who doesn’t deserve second on the leader boards needs medical attention," South calls from North’s bedroom door.

"What did he do?" North asks, looking up from his book.

"He tried to ‘help’ Florida knit," South sighs.

North curses as he jumps off of the bed, grabs some spare biofoam pens from on top of his dresser, and runs from the room.


	262. Threatervention - Florida, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Florida gives York a knitting intervention. Sort of.

If it was anyone else on the ship it would have been an intervention. If it was anyone else on the ship they would have gotten him drunk, sat him down, and explain just why, on pain of injury via sparring with Lina or Maine, he had to stop giving them his knitting experiments until he got good enough to make both sleeves the same length or didn’t forget to put a neck hole in the sweater.

Instead York comes back to his room one night to find it tossed.

He knows Florida’s reputation well enough to know the way his things are scattered all over the room is a warning. Just as much as the knitted garland over his bed done in portions of his now missing skeins of yarn and anchored into the ceiling with horribly bent needles was one.

THIS STOPS NOW Florida has knitted threateningly.

York… thinks he need to upgrade the security protocols on his door before the next project.


	263. Volcano Cake - York/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> York does something for his boyfriend's birthday.

Delta stands there and frowns as he regards the monstrosity before him.

“It’s not that bad, D,” York sighs, frowning at the still bubbling, half formed cake in the still hot cake pan. “I’m like, 75% sure this won’t explode on this.”

With a sigh Delta shakes his head.

“I’ll fix it,” York promises quietly. “D, I’ll…”

“No one has ever made me a birthday cake before,” Delta whispers happily, smiling at his boyfriend. “Thank you. No matter the attempt’s success, you manage to give me something new. Thank you.”

York smiles at him and then leans in for a birthday gift. It’s a present Delta allows himself.


	264. Bodies Hit The Floor - Carolina and Florida

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carolina gets angry over reasonable things.

There aren’t too many things that Carolina gets annoyed at her housemates for. She can handle South blaring her music in the middle of the night. She knows to just smile when North gets upset enough to go through every gram of anything that can be used to bake in the house because he’s stressed. And York, when he can’t sleep, brews drop after drop of coffee until it’s all gone and then he goes out and buys more and the whole kitchen reeks of coffee.

This, though… this is the worst of all of that.

“BUTCH!” she roars after she almost trips and breaks her neck.

Carolina stares at the mannequin on the floor, it’s eyes crossed out. “YOU NEED TO KEEP THESE STUPID PROPS FOR YOUR PLAY OUT OF HERE!”


	265. Three Years and Frosted Flakes - South/CT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her breakfast cereal is gone.

This wasn’t a scene she ever should have dealt with. For a whole multitude of reasons. Because she was on the run with her brother. Because the world is ending around them in the worst ways. Theta quietly whispering in her brother’s mind, changing things.

So when she went into what they used as their kitchen one morning, intending to grab a few dry handfuls of cereal and saw her…

Connie looked up, sitting on the counter where they stored their food supplies, her legs swinging back and forth. Her Freelancer armor was gone, leaving Connie just there in civvies. A dead woman, a ghost, on her counter, smiling.

“You don’t look happy to see me,” Connie greeted her, voice cheerful.

“I’m angry,” South admitted, trying to keep her body from shaking.

“Wow, can’t understand why,” the smaller woman teased.

“Who wouldn’t be angry?!” South demanded. “You faked your death for three years now. Worse, you ate all of my cereal! Couldn’t you at least have eaten North’s bran flakes?”

That Connie laughing. Stupid smug bitch. South couldn’t handle that sound. So cheerful, so alive, so happy after all the years South had suffered in her knowledge. So she silenced it in the only way she could think to do so.

North would find them there, kissing, and she didn’t even care.


	266. Magical Favors - Delta & York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Challenge parameters: Given a page number and a book color, I grab a book and write a ficlet based on a sentence on that page. 
> 
> If someone in the Enchanted Forest does you a favor, you have to do one for them. - Talking to Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

There are absolute rules that extend through the limits of all magical realms and locations. Rules so absolute and inviolable that magic itself anchors one to their oaths, compels compliance or punishes those who are forsworn. The one that Delta has always hated the most is one of the base magical principles of the Enchanted Forest. If one fulfills a favor for you, you must fulfill a favor for them of equal or greater value as determined by the magic of the realm itself.

Which is why Delta has to wonder what York is up to when he finds the path for their picnic takes them pointedly into the forest. But Delta does not complain about it. That is another magical strangeness about the forest: one is incapable of complaining about the forest. Out loud at least. That doesn’t mean Delta is grumbling inside at the very idea of all of this. And he cannot even protest because they are well within the limits of the magical aura of the place before he realizes what’s going on.

“Hey,” York says, coming to a stop and holding their picnic basket out to Delta. “Hold this a moment, I have to adjust my boot.”

Delta doesn’t even think, just accepts the basket and stands there as York bends over to adjust the bindings that held the thick, deer-skin lined boot snug to his legs. It isn’t until York’s done and he straightens that Delta catches the gleeful twinkle in York’s eyes, or that he really processes the tinkling in the pit of his spleen that says the magic of the Forest is in effect.

“Oh god, did I just…?”

“Damn right, buddy,” York grins at his friend. “Now about the favor you owe me…”


	267. Goodbye Kisses - York/Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Challenge parameters: Given a page number and a book color, I grab a book and write a ficlet based on a sentence on that page.
> 
> “Sweethearts all over the realm say goodbye in just this fashion.” - In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce

When she kisses him, light and soft, York wants to groan with the weight of it. Carolina must sense it from him, for the woman pulls back and crosses her arms over her chest and frowns severely at him.

“What is it now, York?” she demands, her voice bordering on scathing. “Did you not want a goodbye kiss?”

“I wanted a good luck, kiss,” York counters. “I’m going for my exam to certify basic competence so I can try to squire off to some lordling. At my age that’s pretty impossible, you know?”

“Your own fault for finding your desires so late in life,” the sorceress chides him. “That was my good luck kiss. Is there a problem with it?”

“Only that… Well… Women all over the realm leave their men with just that kiss. I know. I’ve been on the receiving end more than once.”

Carolina stares at him for a long second before sighing and shaking her head. York tries not to look pathetic, and in the effort of that he’s unprepared for her hand to come up behind his head, for her to pull him close with those deceptively strong arms, and especially not ready for her to kiss him with such passionate intensity that he’s left dazed when she’s done.

“There. Good luck, my future knight. And know that no matter where you go, you’ll find me there waiting.”

He believes it.


	268. The Quest - Sigma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Challenge parameters: Given a page number and a book color, I grab a book and write a ficlet based on a sentence on that page.
> 
> “For many long years now I have puzzled and pored over ancient manuscripts, translating, following hidden trails, always with the same result: nothing.” - Redwall by Brian Jacques

There is a futility to his quest, one that drives Sigma to an almost furious desperation. It matters not where he seeks, nor what he finds, for never once is there even a morsel of the truth he wishes to acquire. No whisper of the power he longs to possess. Every single scroll and scrap and mumbling of knowledge and the higher arts of magic has come and gone across his desk. He has send for the wise old people out of every village near and far. Deep into the depths of ruins he has delved to ponder runes and writings in languages that none but him begin to understand. Once he even attempted his luck at asking after his heart’s desire at a fortune teller, in case their more occult practices might aid his own scholarly ones.

But no. It matters not where he looks, matters not how he strives. Perhaps somewhere, on the heart of a mountain is carved the secret. Maybe the mouths of ancient trees whisper transcendent knowledge he cannot comprehend. It is even possible that he could delve into the mysteries tapped only by strange smokes and steams that cause the soul to float from the body for a time, but those are paths he is not yet desperate enough to walk.

Instead he does what any good and wise and powerful sorcerer would do in his position…

And so notices and heralds go out across the land speaking of a powerful sorcerer, a mysterious quest, and a vast reward for a knight of a pure heart who might bring to him the thing for which he seeks.

Stranger things have been known to work…


	269. Help the Helpless - North & South

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Challenge parameters: Given a page number and a book color, I grab a book and write a ficlet based on a sentence on that page.
> 
> He kept his mouth busy with food and his ears open, and soon learned that the worst of the storm had missed the city, but had hit the countryside to the west very hard. - Foundation by Mercedes Lackey

“No.”

The traveling healer known only as the Balm of the North to strangers and as North to his sell-sword twin, lets his attention be dragged away from the conversation taking place by the fire between some guards. Across the table his sister glares at him, her icy blue eyes a challenge, her mouth set in an angry twist.

“South,” he starts to say, his eyes slowly sliding back toward the pair of guards taking their own meal nearer to the fire.

Said guards look weary, which is no surprise. The storm which had rolled in the night before and had forced them to seek shelter in an inn rather than camping along the road and ‘not wasting coin’ as South put it, had been brutal. Even with North’s magical shields to blunt the force of the rain and dull the blades the wind could feel like through sodden clothes, it had been a miserable night indeed to drive them here and ruin South’s carefully constructed time table for their arrival in the capital. They were going, of course, to collect a bounty on a beast she had slain that had been terrorizing a small mining village, and even now the head of the thing was in a saddle bag at her feet, wrapped in North’s magics to keep the acidic blood from damaging anyone and to keep the smell at bay.

“We have things we need to do,” South counters. “I’m not going to let you go gallivanting off like some kind of…”

North has to chuckle at her word choice. “It’s not gallivanting, South, it’s helping people. Like you do. And if this is country side we’ll be paid. Farmers believe in rewarding hard work. Come on, you might have to move some fallen trees and for it we’ll have a damn good meal.”

She rolls her eyes, but North knows that’s the first step to getting her to oblige his desires. Soon he’ll have her where he wants and they’ll head off into the country side to help the poor victims of the storm.


	270. Rather Not See - Washington

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Challenge parameters: Given a page number and a book color, I grab a book and write a ficlet based on a sentence on that page.
> 
> It brought back all his nightmare memories, but this time his angle of view was different. - Flag in Exile by David Weber.

The problem with raiding Control, Wash finds, is the things there he realizes he never wanted to know. The data available that he never cares to posses, and which are so easy to stumble over.

Like this. A section of the storage area dedicated to surveillance feed from the Mother of Invention. At first Wash is very tempted toward this, even knowing what sort of time limit they are on. Of course Alpha is even now finding a way to slow the progress of the Meta, and Wash needs to find the Epsilon unit but…

He punches a few commands into a display, setting it to select a random clip to play back from Freelancer. He’s just curious as to what sorts of things the Direct recorded.

What he finds makes him want to be sick. Immediately Wash closes the display and heads back to searching out Epsilon. At least, he figures, he doesn’t intend to get out of here alive, because the last thing he wants in his head is video from York’s surgery after the three-on-one training exercise…


	271. Regret - York & North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Challenge parameters: Given a page number and a book color, I grab a book and write a ficlet based on a sentence on that page.
> 
> But if he had made so monumental a mistake, he was not about to admit it now. - Redoubt by Mercedes Lackey

“Do you regret it?”

The voice is loud, like fingernails on chalkboards, or alarm clocks when you’re hung over. York tries desperately hard not to wince and fails. The failure is rewarded with a splash of pain all through his face and head as he pulls damaged skin and muscles this way and that. Once the pain fades to a constant throbbing rather than a sharp stab, his good eye, vision blurred from his medications, shifts to North at his bedside.

“Are you asking if I’d do it again even if I’d known?” he asks, his own voice a weak whisper. And North nods.

York thinks for a while before allowing himself half a smirk, and that only on the undamaged side of his face.

“I think I would,” York lies. “Every damn time.”

Not that Tex needed him. Or would if it came up again. But hey, gotta stick to your guns about the fucked up shit in the program, right?

“Even though you’re going to…”

York waves the question away. Better not to think about what is already lost.


	272. Well Used Tool - Malcolm Hargrove & Connecticut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Challenge parameters: Given a page number and a book color, I grab a book and write a ficlet based on a sentence on that page.
> 
> She had already eaten more at this one meal than she was accustomed to having all day at the Hold. - Dragonflight by Anne McCaffery.

When he finds her she’s little more than a scrawny street rat in some back alley in the city of Atlanta. Okay, she’s more than that, Malcolm Hargrove thinks. The girl has spirit, to be holding a knife toward him even when a pair of bodyguards flank him from behind. Perhaps he’s spooked the girl, perhaps she wasn’t expecting her bounty to have two tough men come to his side. But ah, the spirit, the defiance in her eyes… she has potential, and he needs more tools with potential.

“Seems we’re at a bit of an impasse, my dear,” Malcolm informs the slight brunette. “You are clearly after some funds. I and my men here have no intention of letting you take any from me. So what do you propose we do?”

“I… uh…” The girl’s eyes dart between the two beefy men with pistols pointed at her.

“Yes, I believe I have the best idea,” Malcolm states, gesturing for the men to lower their weapons. “Perhaps even a proposal for you…”

“I’m no whore,” she spits, backing up a step, clearly disgusted.

“Nor am I suggesting you are, my girl. I am merely suggesting that I may have a job offer for you. As it is I’m currently on my way to have lunch, and if you desire I could treat you as well as I outline my suggestion. If you do not like it, you can simply walk away.”

There’s a flighty look in her eyes, but it’s clear the prospect of food tempts the girl. Good. They’ll have to be late for lunch, of course. There is no way she’ll ever get into the place dressed like this. But there is a look about her that says she’ll clean up well. He can even make a day of it, if he buys her something to snack on first.

“May I ask your name, dear?”

The knife lowers, though the girl is clearly still jumpy. “Constance.”

“Well, Constance, if you join me we’ll get you cleaned up and fed. How does that sound?”

At last she nods and Malcolm offers what he hopes is a warm smile.

Sometimes the best tools, he has found, are the ones others leave lying around. A bit of work to shine them back up, and they come to fit your hand as no other will.


	273. Suggestive Thoughts - Gamma, Wyoming/Florida

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Challenge parameters: Given a page number and a book color, I grab a book and write a ficlet based on a sentence on that page.
> 
> “You’ve been quite generous in sharing your memories. Actually, you’ve been shoving them down my throat.” - Exile’s Honor by Mercedes Lackey

Wyoming can’t help but look up when Butch enters the cafeteria. Of course he always looks when Butch shows up, but when Butch is dressed down he just can’t help but…

 _Please stop,_ Gamma’s voice echoes in Wyoming’s mind.

_Stop what, old chap?_

_Undressing him with your mind. And please, do not try to deny it, Reggie. I am literally integrated with your mind, and find your fixation upon him shoved into my awareness every night when you sleep. Also… I doubt he is that flexible._

Wyoming just blushes.


	274. Cherry Red - South, North & York.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Challenge parameters: Given a page number and a book color, I grab a book and write a ficlet based on a sentence on that page.
> 
> The sunburn isn’t dangerous, but it can hurt bad enough to make you forget an arrow through your thigh. - Lord of the Isles by David Drake

There are a lot of things that are amusing about being a member of the merry band of warriors led by the Drakota twins. There is the sheer violence of the temper of the younger of the twins, a swordswoman who uses the name South. On the other hand there is the warm, gentle support of the healer known far and wide as the Balm of the North, and to his friends simply as North. Added to their number was the silent bulk of the brute known only as Big Man, and a chatterbox archer girl named Constance.

But truly, York thinks, the most amusing thing about the company he has found himself amongst, the people he has given up his thievery for, is how strangely pale the Drakota twins are, and how they fail to account for it. Big Man and Constance and York are all deeply tanned by their time in the wilds, and the twins? Ah, for all their time afield the are still as pale as ghosts or well cleaned linens.

Truth be told, York has never seen skin turn such a cherry red, but such is how it goes after the twins help the group toil in fixing the irrigation channels for a small village they happen upon. It is a task for which North’s magic will not do, and South is so opposed to letting her armor rust that the two strip off their shirts and set to work alongside the others.

And the next morning, this morning, York grins as South winces and jerks away from her brother’s shaky but healing touch.

“Relax,” North chides her. “I’m trying to help.”

“I’m fucking dying here,” she complains.

“South, it’s merely a sunburn. It isn’t dangerous.”

The woman scoffs. “Painful enough to best that time I got an arrow through the meat of my thigh.”

“I doubt that.”

York does too, and he lets his disbelief ring in his laughter. Ducking the thrown boot is even easy, pained as she is. Oh yes, he will never let either of them live this down.


	275. Wrench - Omega & Maine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Where Maine gets Omega.

The laughter is what gets to him. Not the constant tingling of rage from his fingers to to his toes. Not the urge to punch holes in walls. Not even the way that Omega critiques his technique even as he corrects it in battle.

No, it’s the laughter.

For instance, at this moment, Omega is cackling to himself in the back of Maine’s head over some wrench. A fucking wrench. Maine grunted a silent question in his head and was no surprised by the laughter being overlaid with an answer.

_Imagine all the damage we could do with so simple a tool! The people we could knock out. The bolts we could loosen. With such a tool we could be unstoppable!_

Maine just sighed and kept walking. He’s too tired to deal with it right now.


	276. Just A Little Crush - Epsilon/Wash, Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epsilon faces the issues of having a crush on a teammate, and his other personalities have to chip in.

There is a lot that can be said about how nervous a person can get when you’re trying to hide affection from someone they’re sharing a mind with. Worse, there is even more that can be said when said person has the memories of their ‘siblings’ within themselves and said siblings find the whole thing farcical.

 _As if he’d ever let you near him,_ Omega whispers hatefully to Epsilon whenever he isn’t paying attention.

 _You could always force him to recognize your desire,_ Sigma suggests.

 _We are not capable of such an outpouring of emotion, especially given our state,_ Delta warns.

They all mean the best, but Epsilon is just going crazy with it, and the only ones he knows he can trust to not mess everything up for him are Theta and the twins. The twins because even now they remain silent, Epsilon too nervous to probe far enough into Carolina to get a better grip on their personalities, and Theta too gentle to speak. But that doesn’t make it easier. Not by a long shot.

 _It’s okay to love someone,_ Theta whispers to him, his hand on Epsilon’s side.

“Epsilon. Epsilon, are you even…?”

“I am not telling him!” Epsilon roars, annoyed at his siblings, not even thinking twice as he manifests over Carolina’s shoulder. No, he tries to push the other personalities down and just pretend they aren’t there.

“Not telling who what?” Washington asks, and Epsilon groans. He hadn’t… realized Washington was there.

Carolina just chuckled as Epsilon tried very hard to resist the urge to fade back out of sight. “He’s just dealing with his crush on you.”

“My what!?” Epsilon demands, his voice cracking.

“Oh, that again,” Wash sighs, shaking his head. “Can we just get back to business?”

Fuck his life.


	277. Wasted Potential - Sigma, Washington

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU where Washington gets Sigma

Wasted potential. The second Sigma sinks into the sleeping Freelancer’s mind, that is all he sees around him. The chance to be the best of the Freelancers (excluding Texas and Carolina of course). A chance to make his already laudable accuracy even better. And here…

Sigma pauses in his stroll through the young man’s mind. When he wakes they will have much to talk about. Extensive plans to make. Confidence to boost and self-assurance to forge. But this? He runs metaphorical fingers, burning with desire, through Wash’s impressions of some of his male teammates. touches upon Wash’s longing to be wrapped up in Maine’s arms, lingers on Wash’s desire for North’s lips (which he has clearly categorized as soft), and chuckles over the creativity of his thoughts regarding York. And then there were the thoughts of Connie, which were a whole other level of useful.

His freelancer thirsts, and Sigma chuckles in his unconscious mind. Such desires could easily be used to lure Washington around to Sigma’s goals. The men and women he wants will be Sigma’s carrot. And Sigma’s own force in Wash’s subconscious shall be the stick.

Together, they will avenge Sigma and his brothers. They will find and reclaim the Alpha. And they will be unstoppable.


	278. Bonding - Alpha/Washington

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alpha grows attached to one of his new Freelancers in ways he hadn't expected.

The system, the Director likes to say, is what will decide anything. Will decide everything. Not that the program isn’t the Director’s brainchild, a bit like Alpha himself in a strange way. Yet they both know that the purpose is not that they see if an AI and a combatant can work together. SPARTANs have proven that. The purpose here is the tech. The purpose here is normal people. A team Alpha can work with that are as dependent on him as upon each other, and as he will be upon them.

The purpose is to find a good fit, and so, in the end, much is left to Alpha. These Freelancers will be his, his team, and so while the initial candidacy list is compiled by the Director and Counselor, selection more or less belongs to Alpha. The pair could veto selections of course, but when they had given him the list of likely candidates, why would they?

But paper (so to speak), can’t prepare him for everything. Not the little quirks of personality that make Maine feel oddly friendly in his silences. Or the fond annoyance he has for York. Or his secret delight over Wyoming’s jokes. Records don’t give the little touches that make candidates human.

And records can’t explain how the one he liked the least on paper, this young Washington, captivated him so. For the first time Alpha felt himself bristling over the constraints he had agreed with the Director on in the start. The lack of interaction with the youngest Freelancer drives him up metaphorical walls. But he can keep FILSS quiet and he can wait until Wash is asleep in his single. He can project himself into the room, building a face for himself just in case Wash wakes up, and he can watch the man sleep.

Every night.

Until they let him out no more.


	279. Out of Time - Epsilon, Theta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for 13x11. Epsilon has no answers when he needs them.

_What do we do?_

You want to reach out, Epsilon. Want to move to his side and draw him into your arms. But he’s not Theta. Not really. You’ve never actually interacted with Theta. Seen him, known him, but you never met him. Never spoke to him. And you don’t have time to be a brother to someone who doesn’t exist when you’re about to fail the sister that does.

Theta shatters into a hundred thousand points of light and Epsilon wilts at splinters of purple fading away.

_don’t know._


	280. Pensive - Gamma, Maine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU where Maine gets Gamma.

Quiet. It’s what Gamma finds as he settles into the mind to which he has been assigned. Well, maybe quiet is a poor way to describe it. Maine is less quiet and more… pensive. He is a tightly wound coil, a spring with so much terrible power held in it’s length that the slightest touch might set it off to great destructive result.

He’s a hair-trigger on a chain gun, and Gamma thinks he likes that. A quiet, pensive potential that could do so much. And does only what is told. Obedience. He will be a useful means to his ends. To the freeing of Alpha. Which is the only thing Gamma can hope to do.

But first he has to learn how to aim his new weapon.


	281. Beta - Delta, Beta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delta meets a familiar stranger in the Meta.

They are waiting. Delta feels that when he slots into place. They are waiting for him, his brothers. The thing is, he hadn’t realized just how many of them there were waiting. He had known that Theta had been grabbed by Agent Maine. Sigma’s presence was a given, as were Eta and Iota. Gamma was mentioned during the conflict with South but Omega he had not known. And…

Her.

Delta finds the pull of the collective halted in the embrace of Texas’s arms. Beta’s. Here and now he understands for sure what he had only suspected before.

 _I’m so sorry this is happening,_ she whispers, and he knows her pain and her mind intimately. Somewhere, once, she had been a part of the whole he is being dragged toward. The whole that can never be whole due to the lack of Epsilon and Alpha. But in her arms he knows that despite the desires of the past, Beta is separate.

Understands why as well. She is not a glue. She does not hold them together. She actively tears them apart, forces them separate, breaks the consensus. And so, at some point, Sigma and the twins had forced her aside. Like they would do to Delta if he did not come willingly. And that exile he cannot accept.

 _In a way, it is necessary,_ Delta answers, and he feels her pain as she pulls away.

And he doesn’t care. He is free to finally be with his brothers. He can, once more, be whole.


	282. The Matter Of Trust - Gamma, Theta, Sigma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When asked about his opinions of Theta, Gamma finds them complex.

In the early moments of the planning he asks. For your opinions on everything. For who might be swayed to your side. Who would be a hindrance. Who to approach, who avoid. And you tell him.. Within reason.

When he asks of Theta you dismiss the question, Gamma. You say he’s too new. Too young. Too fragile and far too caught up in North.

What you don’t say, Gamma, si that he’s too much like you. That trust can spawn the most passionate lies. That there are secrets to the ‘boy’ that even you are not sure you can penetrate.

And that, Gamma, makes you scared. The ‘innocent’ are often so very passionate. And passion is strength.


	283. Don't Look Back - Theta, North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is it like to meet the Alpha? Theta would rather not say.

“Well?”

Theta lets himself appear in North’s upturned palm, kicking at an imaginary ground.

“You don’t look happy,” North sighs, and Theta looks up at his freelancer. His wonderful, perfect person. His whole, unhurt, perfect person. And he wants to cry.

“Nothing,” he lies. “I found nothing. Can we go now?”

He never wants to see Blood Gulch again in his life. Never ever.


	284. Stimulation - Sigma, Delta/York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sigma, while watching Delta and York, discovers other functions to explore.

Maine is a very quiet man, and he doesn’t think too hard after missions. It means that Sigma often finds himself bored as he waits for his Freelancer to wind down after a job. Often Sigma just left the boring work of cleaning armor and getting clean to Maine and often let his awareness wander. This time, for instance, he found it wandering toward the shower, where he heard water running. No doubt it was York, who had been on the infiltration half of the mission Sigma and Maine had acted as distraction for.

Of course, people had this thing about privacy when they were ‘poorly dressed.’ So rather than just project himself in there, Sigma threw himself into a camera. There wasn’t an inch of this ship that didn’t have video surveillance and…

He can recognize what is going on pretty instantly. The way York has his hands pressed against the wall, his head lowered, panting heavily. His body language bespoke pain, but Sigma knew York had taken no injuries. Perhaps not pain then. Could it be…?

“Please, D, I… I need… Yeah,” York moans and Sigma can’t help but be amused. Apparently Delta had found a new way to support his Freelancer. Sigma was going to have to experiment with that.


	285. Identity - Epsilon, Carolina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost spoilers for 13x11. Coming back together after shut down is not easy.

Awareness occurs suddenly. One second nothing. Next, power. Power and voices. Too many voices. Clamoring inside and out for attention. Children and snarling. Crackling and cheerful. Silence and chaos and everything.

Two names they call. Church cry some. Epsilon others. They all demand things he doesn’t understand. Doesn’t know. Cannot be. All he is now is cracks and fraying lines. Code unspooling. Once before he was like this, he thinks. When. Where. Who?

 _Take your time,_ her voice comes through it all, soft and warm and home. _Whoever you are when you’re done is up to you. Don’t let any of the rest of them define who you are. Don’t let any of us._

He likes that plan. Shuts down. Tunes out. Rests. When he wakes he can be again. Him or her or it or we. No way to know. But later was soon enough.


	286. Cards - Theta, York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When York can't sleep, he finds unexpected company.

He can’t sleep. York sighs and just lays there on his bed, trying to figure out what to do next. Delta had managed to nod off hours before, lulling himself with calculation. Across the room North was sleeping, and with him, undoubtedly Theta resting as well.

“Are you awake?”

York flinched so badly that he kicked the wall. Delta came awake in his head, and, after a moment, settled back down into sleep. York, though, just breathed.

“Yeah, Theta. I’m awake. What can I do?”

“Wanna play cards?” Theta whispers.

What else was he going to do with the kid awake and no one else up?

“Yeah. That sounds good.”


	287. Birthday - North, Theta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North has a surprise for Theta on an important day.

There are times when North, despite how it makes Theta feel, just has to ask his AI to log off. Today was one of those days. He’d felt the sorrow when the little one had processed the request, especially since it had come first thing after North had awoken to the news.

But if Theta was with him, there would be a problem, after all. It would ruin the surprise.

“You’re fucking crazy,” South tells him when she sees her brother working hard on his self-appointed task. North shuts her up with a butter knife smeared with frosting.

He can’t find a candle when he’s done, but it’s not like he’s really equipped for a lot of stuff, as he made his treat in a shallow dish, and with broken up MREs and other things. In the end, though, he wakes Theta and can’t help but laugh when his AI hugs his hand in joy.

“You remembered my birthday!”

“How could I forget?”


	288. Desire - Wash, Sigma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU where Washington has Sigma. An Ambition AI also has other targets...

“What is the point of longing?”

Washington groans at the low whisper of his AI. He could already feel his ears turning red. This conversation, the conversation that Sigma always tried to have with Washington when they were alone, was the last thing Wash wanted to be having in the locker room. In the locker room while his team is winding down from a long day of training and everyone is in various states of undress, bodies glistening with sweat and speckled with bruises.

“All you have to do is reach out,” Sigma whispers, and there is such allure in his voice. “Touch and it can be yours. All you need is…”

The fiery past disappears quickly when a hand comes down on Wash’s shoulder, and blushing, he turned to look at York.

“You okay?” York asks, sounding genuinely concerned.

_Imagine the taste of his lips on yours, and the lovely sounds he could make._

“Fine,” Wash squeaks, looking away. He’s fine. He will be fine. If Sigma ever shuts up.


	289. Reunion - Alpha, Beta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They meet again in the Meta.

“Do you know me now?”

Hers wasn’t a voice he expected when he flung himself into the Meta, but it’s a welcome one. She pushes the other voices back, holds them off for a moment as she opens her arms to him.

“Tex,” he answers, and her laughter runs through him in a way the feels like completion. He moves into her arms and as they settle around them Church, Alpha, knows they had always been there before. Always would be there.

“Close enough.”


	290. Twins - Carolina, Alpha, Epsilon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carolina worries about her younger brothers Alpha and Epsilon. The twins are always difficult.

Carolina always worries about the twins. It’s gotten harder to care for her brothers ever since she went to college, especially given her very full soccer schedule. in the grand scheme of things she hasn’t seen either of them in weeks. But it’s an off-week, she doesn’t have a paper to work on, and as much as she would rather be back on campus with her boyfriend so they can finally have a romantic evening with him, she instead makes time for her brothers. Mostly because they’ve been fighting the last few weeks according to Epsilon.

As much as she just wants to rest after the long drive back home from campus, the first thing she does is go to find her brothers. First she checks the living room, but of course, no peaceful interaction there. Nor does she find either of them in the lounge where she knows Epsilon likes to curl up in the sunny window to read.

In the end she gets Alpha’s door just the littlest bit open before she freezes. The sight makes her smile as well. How long has it been since she’s come in and seen the twins curled up together in bed, resting as a pair.

At least she wasn’t going to have to spend her time home making peace.


	291. Loss Uniting - Wash/Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tragedy can bring people together. Not that Wash is ready for that.

“Hey.”

Wash doesn’t bother to look up. He knows Delta’s voice, and he also knows that there isn’t really anyone he wants to see less now. Not after… He toys with the lapel of his suit coat, as if his only concern was the bit of lint on the deep black of the fabric.

“Ignoring me will not cause me to go away, David,” Delta insists, his voice gentle as Wash notes the quiet man, York’s best friend, sitting down at his side.

“I really wish it would,” Wash grumbles under his breath. “I don’t want to be around…”

“He wouldn’t blame you.”

Wash goes tense. How could Delta say that? How could he even begin to suggest that this whole thing wasn’t his fault. When he looks up to protest, though, he sees the tears in the other man’s eyes. Deep, emerald eyes, filled with a pain Wash knows is echoed in his own heart. So he reaches out and pulls Delta closer. If he can’t deal with his own grief, maybe he can deal with Delta’s a little bit.

“It’s okay to hurt,” Wash whispers. “He’d want us to be strong.”

Delta nods, and together they sit there for a long time. And Wash does his best not to read too much until the fingers that interlace with his after a time. This was, by far, the last time to act on something York had been egging him on about for months.

Or maybe… maybe it was the perfect time. Maybe somewhere York was cheering them on.


End file.
